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

Chapter 6: Design Guidelines, Maintenance Schedules and Best Practices
Typical maintenance vehicles for the trail will be light pick-up trucks and occasionally heavy dump
trucks, semi trucks and tractors. A mechanical sweeper is recommended to keep the trail clear of loose
gravel and other debris. Care should be taken when operating heavier equipment on the trail to warn
trail users and to avoid breaking the edge of the trail surface.
Maintenance Costs
The total estimated annual maintenance for the Santa Clara River Trail is approximately $36,500, based
on the estimated length of just under 5 miles. This maintenance cost is based on an industry standard of
$7,500 per mile of concrete bike path annually, based on similar trails in the state.
Maintenance costs cover labor, supplies, and amortized equipment costs for weekly trash removal,
monthly sweeping. Repair patrols include cleaning and patching (if necessary) the concrete trail, repairs
to crossings, trash removal, landscaping, underbrush and weed abatement (performed once in the late
spring and again in mid-summer). These costs can be greatly reduced if volunteer crews are used or a
local organization assumes some of the responsibilities.
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