Cal Park Hill Tunnel REHABILITATION & MULTI-USE PATHWAY PROJECT County of Marin: Department of Public Works

The finished pedestrian / bicycle tunnel.

In Partnership with

The Cal Park Hill Tunnel Rehabilitation and Multi-Use Pathway Project (Cal Park Hill Tunnel and Pathway Project) is a combined rail transit and public works facility constructed and operated through several cooperative agreements with multiple regional transit and county entities. Uniqueness The Cal Park Hill Tunnel Rehabilitation and Multi-Use Pathway project is taking shape as a model public works project in terms of sustainability, shared vision, local partnership, and long-term planning. Providing a crucial transportation link between the cities of San Rafael and Larkspur in Marin County, this Class I multiuse pathway follows an existing railroad right-of-way through the historic Cal Park Hill Tunnel. This “rails with trails” project will eliminate a formidable obstacle for commuting and recreational cyclists: the Cal Park Hill itself, which rises 200 feet above the coastal plain and has traditionally been a barrier between the central and southern portions of Marin County for nonmotorized transportation modes. This 1,100-foot-long tunnel and 1.1-mile-long pathway will provide simultaneous access for rail, pedestrian, and bicycle use for a system once reserved only for train service. The Cal Park Hill Tunnel and Pathway Project provides the U.S. with a pioneering multi-modal transportation project. It will reduce traffic congestion and ultimately link passenger rail service directly from Sonoma County, California, to the Golden Gate Transit Ferry in Larkspur, Marin County. The ferry provides direct service to downtown San Francisco.

MULTI-MODAL TRANSPORTATION Rail

Rail side of tunnel.

| Pedestrian | Bicycle 1

History of the Railroad Right-of-Way In 1907 the Northwestern Pacific Railroad (NWPRR) was formed as a partnership between two major railroads—the Southern Pacific Railroad and the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway—to consolidate and streamline operations along a 300-mile corridor (from Tiburon north to Eureka). In the 1970s the Marin County portion of the corridor was purchased by a Joint Powers Agency consisting of the Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District, County of Marin, and Marin County Transit District, in order to preserve the corridor for public transportation purposes. Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) was created in 2002 through state legislation to oversee the development and implementation of commuter rail service in Sonoma and Marin counties. SMART controls over 70 miles of publicly owned railroad right-of-way once owned by the NWPRR.

History of the Tunnel SMART system map.

The original tunnel was built in 1884 for a single track and widened to a double track in 1924. Freight operations continued through the Cal Park Hill Tunnel during the 1960s and 1970s, serving local shippers that included a rail car restoration business and quarry in Larkspur. By the 1980s, rail traffic had almost entirely disappeared in Marin County. In the late 1980s, deterioration of the Cal Park Hill Tunnel’s wood lining resulted in a partial collapse near the south portal. A subsequent fire in 1990 extended the collapsed area. To stop the fire, crews plugged the portal and sinkhole with earthen fill. Repair work to address less severe collapses occurred in the 1990s.

Partners in Planning

South portal.

Local advocacy groups, notably the Marin County Bicycle Coalition, had long recognized that a reactivated Cal Park Hill Tunnel would provide a valuable transportation amenity and a crucial piece of the planned north-south bicycle “greenway” through Marin County. Marin County supervisors and staff helped channel this interest into a proposal to reopen the tunnel for nonmotorized use. Initial funding was secured for studying the feasibility of implementing the necessary repairs and improvements. Late in 2002, the feasibility study concluded that the proposed pathway could be constructed and operated, while not precluding future passenger rail service by SMART. As planning continued, federal, state, and local grant funding was secured piece by piece for design and construction of the necessary repairs and improvements. The funding sources table identifies the primary funding that has been secured for the project. Source Amount (Millions) TEA-21 Funds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 3.0 Bicycle Transportation Account. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.9 Transportation for Livable Communities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.5 Transportation for Clean Air. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.5 Regional Measure 2 (TAM). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.6 Regional Measure 2 (SMART) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13.2 Non-Motorized Pilot Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.5 County/Local . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.4 Total. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $27.7

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In 2005, Marin County was selected as one of four communities nationally to participate in the federal Non-motorized Transportation Pilot Program (NTPP) under SAFETEA-LU. This program has provided $25 million to each of these four communities between 2006 and 2010 to demonstrate the extent to which bicycling and walking can carry a significant part of the transportation load and represent a major portion of the transportation solution. The County of Marin Department of Public Works is administering the NTPP locally. Courtesy of Marin County Bicycle Coalition

Measure Q supporters at the ground breaking ceremony.

SMART’s close working relationships with bicycle and pedestrian groups paralleled the planning and design of the Cal Park Hill Tunnel and Pathway Project. In 2003, SMART formed a Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Group in order to determine the alignment of a bicycle pedestrian pathway that will follow the SMART corridor. SMART, in partnership with the County of Marin, determined that the county should administer and manage the construction of the project to complete the needed tunnel repairs in advance of rail construction as well as construct the multi-use pathway. Consequently, in December 2007, Marin County and SMART entered into a Cooperative Agreement that allowed both agencies to move forward with construction, operation, and maintenance of the multi-use pathway.

Prefabricated pedestrian bridge.

To represent stakeholder interests, a Technical Working Group (TWG) was established during preliminary engineering, and continued through final design. This group consisted of Marin County staff and engineers, SMART staff, local public works and transit officials, emergency responders, property owners, and other stakeholders. The TWG members established design criteria based on their individual needs throughout the design process. Public meetings dovetailed with the TWG process, updating members of the community about the design progress. Members of the public were asked to provide input to decisions regarding pathway alignment, amenities, and operations. Screening factors included primary destination of users, availability of rights-of-way, pathway safety and security, access for persons with disabilities, and emergency access.

Sustainability This project upholds the values of the surrounding communities in their commitment to sustainability. First and foremost, SMART and local communities along the corridor have made a significant commitment to the combination Class 1 / Class 2 bicycle-pedestrian pathway that will run along most of the SMART rightof-way. By promoting bicycle and pedestrian travel, the Cal Park Hill Tunnel Rehabilitation and Multi-Use Pathway Project connects major regional pathways between two communities (Corte Madera/Larkspur and San Rafael) that have been isolated from each other because of geography. Both of these uses will enhance bicycle and rail transit commuting, including a connection to ferry service, which in turn will reduce vehicular traffic on highways. In addition, the design approach was sustainable in that an abandoned facility was rehabilitated for pathway and rail use so that a new tunnel did not need to be constructed. Finally, during construction, efforts were made to minimize construction waste by reuse of salvaged items, including excavated material, rails, and timber supports that had not deteriorated.

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Flexible Contracts

North portal sinkhole at beginning of project.

Because of the fire damage and deterioration of the tunnel lining, structural and geotechnical conditions behind the timber support were largely unknown. Since the tunnel possessed such large unknowns and high risks, the tunnel rehabilitation and the multi-use pathway were separated into Phase A and Phase B. For the tunnel rehabilitation (Phase A), the construction management and design team, together with the County of Marin, tailored the construction contract in terms of costs and schedule to properly identify areas of the work at risk. During Phase A construction, the contractor and construction management worked closely together in the field to identify risk, mitigate safety hazards, and develop work procedures to efficiently rehabilitate the tunnel with the safest means possible. This flexibility and teamwork, among all stakeholders, kept the Phase A project “on track” and led to a successful rehabilitation of the tunnel. Phase B’s construction contract, which did not have the high risks associated with unknown conditions, was tailored to reflect the tasks and schedule. Phase B was completed in early December 2010.

A diverse group of organizations and entities are involved in this project:

North portal sinkhole after cleared of loose debris.

• The County of Marin • Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) • Project Management Services, consultant • Jacobs Associates, construction manager • AECOM, the designer • URS, the structural engineer • Drill Tech Drilling and Shoring, the Phase A contractor • Ghilotti Construction Company, the Phase B contractor

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Project Description

Collapsed South portal

History The Cal Park Hill Tunnel was built in 1884 for single track use at 15 feet wide and 1,100 feet long. Because of heavy usage by freight trains, the tunnel was re-excavated in 1924 and its width doubled to allow for two tracks—becoming 30 feet wide by 24 feet tall at the crown, with a horseshoe-shaped cross section. The 1990 fire in the tunnel was close to the south portal and caused complete collapse of the southern 150 feet of the tunnel. By that time, approximately 20 percent of the tunnel was collapsed and the remainder was in various states of partial collapse and deterioration. Scope of Project Phase A: Tunnel Rehabilitation and Pathway within the Tunnel The tunnel rehabilitation included: •

Removal of the existing railroad track in the tunnel

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Rehabilitation of the entire length of the tunnel, which included tunnel presupport and ground reinforcement of rock and soil conditions at the portals

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Demolition of the existing tunnel timber support

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Installation of structural steel sets and shotcrete

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Construction of a fan/electrical control room

Drilling pipe canopy into North portal.

The pathway within the tunnel construction included:

Removing timber sets to install steel sets

Rehabilitated North portal

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Structural steel roof beams and lightweight concrete deck for the pathway mezzanine level, glass fiber reinforced concrete (GFRC) ceiling panels, and a smooth shotcrete wall lining along the pedestrian corridor

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Construction of the concrete masonry (CMU) wall that serves as the separator of the rail side and the pathway

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Various water and electrical utilities also were installed for public safety and functionality of the tunnel

Approximately 20 percent of the tunnel was collapsed and the remainder was in various states of partial collapse and deterioration.

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Phase B: Multi-Use Pathway beyond the Tunnel Limits The pathway construction includes:

One of the soil nail walls.

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Removal of the existing railroad track outside of the tunnel

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Widening of the usable land within the existing railroad corridor, which includes constructing soil nail walls, mechanically stabilized embankment walls, cast-in-place concrete retaining walls supported by piles, and conventional concrete retaining walls on spread footings

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A prefabricated pedestrian bridge

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Water lines for fire and operational uses

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Barriers separating the rail side and the pathway

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The pathway, which includes asphalt surfacing, lighting, a plaza with information for the public, and emergency access

Safety, Security, and Pathway Maintenance The tunnel and midsection of the pathway are somewhat remote. Safety Services has raised concern over safety and security, particularly during times of low usage. To address the concerns of the community, emergency call boxes and surveillance cameras were installed in the tunnel. In addition, the pathway gates will be closed from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. as part of a one-year trial period. The hours of operation will be re-evaluated based on actual safety and security incidents and may be modified depending on the findings.

Drilling piers for pathway.

Installing blocks and fill for pathway. Photography ©2010 Jacobs Associates except as noted

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Conclusion and Lessons Learned The implementation of any unique and capital-intensive project is challenging. However, with the growing momentum for sustainable, context-sensitive projects, even a diverse population can be brought on board through appropriate outreach and forthright discussion. Also, knowing the nuances of all regulatory agencies and stakeholders is essential. By their nature, rails with trails projects involve multiple jurisdictions. It is critical for all affected parties to cooperatively participate and embrace the decision process during project development in order to achieve success. Early assessment of winwin strategies can save time and money during the initial capital investment and during the long-term operations of the facility. From a design standpoint, any rails-with-trails project should include staff or consultants professionally familiar with the design and operational characteristics of the railroad environment. For a tunnel project, which is by nature highly complex, a built-in checks and balances system of assessing the design progress (i.e., an ongoing constructability review) is highly prudent. A wealth of excellent information is coming online as “pathway partnerships” are put in place, such as that which gave form to the Cal Park Hill Tunnel Rehabilitation and Multi-Use Pathway Project. Hopefully, the County of Marin’s experience will prove useful to other agencies considering rails with trails projects.

The finished pedestrian / bicycle tunnel interior.

It is critical for all affected parties to cooperatively participate and embrace the decision process during project development in order to achieve success.

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