Santa Clara River Trail Final Master Plan - Development Services ...

Chapter 2: Gap Analysis, Geographic Impediments and Alternatives Analysis
Potential Alignments
In most cases, there was only one alignment option that was both adjacent to the Santa Clara River and
atop existing levees and stream bank protection. Field visits, coupled with the alignments suggestions by
the SCRT Steering and Technical Advisory Committees, resulted in the following potential alignments:
Segment 1 Alignment: The proposed alignment follows the existing Ventura Regional Sanitation
District (VRSD)/Ventura County Watershed Protection District (VCWPD) access road atop the stream
bank protection along the northern border of the River Ridge Golf Course. This is the westernmost
segment which extends from N. Victoria Avenue to approximately 2,000 feet west of Highway 101 at a
VCWPD access gate off of N. Ventura Road. This alignment includes a trail head/gateway at N. Ventura
Road.
Segment 2 Alignment: This alignment extends from the VCWPD access gate at N. Ventura Road to the
east side of Highway 101. This segment is part of the SCR-3 Levee System Public Safety Project currently
being evaluated by the VCWPD. In order to coordinate interagency efforts and minimize costs, the trail
in this segment will be built after or in conjunction with the SCR-3 project. The alternatives were
evaluated with the understanding that the design of the trail would ultimately be determined by the
design of the flood protection structures. Potential alignments include:
Alternative 1 – Alternative 1 is a 12’ wide trail with two 2’ shoulders adjacent to the north side of
N. Ventura Road. At the railroad undercrossing the trail would narrow to approximately 10’
wide. It is expected that the trail will require some grading and fill on the bank above the
riverbed.
Alternative 2 – Alternative 2 is class II bike lanes added to the north and south sides of N
Ventura Road. This alternative would not provide a separated facility appropriate for all users,
however it is already included in the City’s transportation plan and the bike lanes were installed
during the course of this study.
Segment 3 Alignment: This alignment is on top of the levee and is 12’ wide trail with two 2’ shoulders.
This alignment extends east of Highway 101 for almost 2 miles to Central Avenue and includes a trail
head/gateway at Windrow Park. At the northern terminus of the trail, bike lanes should be provided
down Central Avenue to connect to N. Vineyard Avenue and existing bike lanes that continue down to
Rio Mesa High School.
Segment 4 Alignment: This alignment effectively provides a spur connection from the SCRT to the
Pacific Ocean via the proposed bike route on W. Gonzales Road. It also provides a much needed bicycle
and pedestrian connection to the surrounding neighborhoods along N. Victoria Avenue. This alignmentis
a 12’ wide trail with two 2’ shoulders on the east side of N. Victoria Avenue from the levee to W.
Gonzales Road. The trail is adjacent to the fences, trees and walls of the adjacent properties and will
require the removal of some of the existing Eucalyptus trees.
Segment 5 Alignment: This alignment also provides a spur connection from the SCRT to the Pacific
Ocean via the proposed multi-use path on Patterson Road and bike lane and proposed bike route on W.
Gonzales Road. This alignment is a 12’ wide trail with two 2’ shoulders through the golf course along the
maintenance road that would ultimately connect to N. Patterson Road at the intersection of Patterson
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