Cheasty Mountain Bike/Pedestrian Trail Pilot Project
Updated: March 27, 2024
March 2024
The project was split into two phases; phase one is the south loop which was approved for construction in 2021 with construction complete in the fall of 2023 and the north loop is planned for phase two with construction starting in April 2024. Seattle Parks and Recreation will be monitoring the trail usage and impacts during the three-year pilot.
Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR), Friends of Cheasty Greenspace at Mountain View, Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance, and the Seattle Parks Foundation thank the community for their input throughout phase one of the project and look forward to delivering phase two.
This community-initiated project is creating Seattle’s first forested mountain biking trails. Led by the Friends of Cheasty Greenspace at Mountain View and built under the guidance of Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance, the trails offer new opportunities for families and neighbors to access nature through our urban park greenspaces.
The Cheasty Mountain Bike and Pedestrian Trail Pilot project is a public-private partnership with funding from State and local grants, the City of Seattle, and the Seattle Parks Foundation. The project provides recreational opportunities for families and neighbors to access nature through our urban park greenspaces.
Volunteers Needed
Volunteers will be an important part of the trail construction effort. For more information on volunteer opportunities contact Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance: David Fleischhauer, davidfleischhauer@evergreenmtb.org or www.evergreenmtb.org/calendar/work-parties.
Volunteer opportunities to help with the ongoing forest restoration activities are also available through the Green Seattle Partnership.
Location
Cheasty Natural Area, Cheasty Blvd S & S Della St, 98144
Budget
$250,000 - Funding sources include: the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods Grant, Seattle Park District, and community donations through the Seattle Park Foundation (Please visit Donate to Cheasty Trails and Bike Park to contribute through the Seattle Parks Foundation.)
Schedule
Construction Phase 1: May 2021 - Late Spring 2023
Construction Phase 2: Spring 2024 - Late Spring 2025
Project
The idea of a bike trail was first suggested by community members almost a decade ago. What started out as a desire to provide more recreational opportunities as well as deeper connections with community and nature, became what we now refer to as the Cheasty Mountain Bike and Pedestrian Trail Pilot Project.
The proposal is a bicycle and pedestrian loop trail system. There would be limited grading and no significant trees are proposed for removal. There are identified Environmental Critical Areas (ECAs) located within the site. It is also worth noting that the proposed trail alignment has been reconfigured from the 2015 proposal: the new alignment further avoids the wetland complex and steep slopes. This is not a permanent use, but rather a pilot project. It is not being rolled out within all of our greenspaces: this particular proposal is only occurring within Cheasty. This three year pilot will commence once the mountain bike trails are open. During that time, SPR will conduct an evaluation, which includes monitoring the trails, assessing impacts to wetlands, erosion control, habitat disturbance, parking impacts. After the conclusion of the pilot period, SPR will decide if they will continue to allow mountain bikes on the trails within Cheasty Greenspace.
Background
Almost a decade ago, the Friends of Cheasty Greenspace at Mountain View, along with other stakeholders had an idea. They wanted to build community and provide more access and opportunities to an underused greenspace. Through many conversations, community grants and hundreds of volunteer hours, that idea gained traction when Seattle Parks and Recreation began examining the feasibility. The result was the proposed bicycle and pedestrian trail pilot project within Cheasty Greenspace, which is located in southeast Seattle at Cheasty Blvd. S and S. Della St.
This project entails both bicycle and pedestrian trails within Cheasty, that will provide additional opportunities for families and neighbors to access nature through our urban park greenspaces. The proposal is quite intentional and has been designed to minimize environmental impacts by utilizing best management practices for protecting wetlands and enhancing the stability of the steep slopes. SPR feels this is a win-win situation, creating opportunity and expanding accessibility, while also being mindful of the importance of our greenspaces. In 2015, Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) studied the potential environmental impacts of the Cheasty Mountain Bike/Pedestrian Trail Pilot Project and found there were no significant environmental impacts and issued a Determination of Non-Significance (DNS). That decision was appealed to the City of Seattle's Hearing Examiner. On Jan. 26, 2016, the Hearing Examiner found that there was insufficient information for SPR to issue a DNS at this time and that more information and study are needed about wetland impacts including drainage/hydrologic impacts as they relate to wetlands, impacts to trees including through compaction and altered hydrology and any associated impacts to wildlife habitat. In 2017, the City's Survey Crews completed the surveying ground work and mapping of the proposed trail alignment. Environmental consultants completed the seasonal wetland evaluation and re-evaluated the trail alignment, including the trail's buffer areas, with special emphasis to issues that were raised by the Hearing Examiner related to environmental impacts. The result of this work is an updated proposal that has been reconfigured from the 2015 version: the modified trail alignment further avoids the wetland complex and steep slopes. SPR has evaluated the impacts of the proposal as it relates to these limited areas of the environment and feels confident the project can move forward. A Determination of Non-Significance was issued on October 15, 2018. The appeal period ran through November 5 and the public comment period was open through November 13, 2018.
Community Participation
Process
The beginnings of the Cheasty Mountain Bike and Pedestrian Trail go back to at least 2013. SPR has worked closely with both internal and external stakeholders. Some highlights of the conversation include:
- The issue of Bicycle Use policy and/or the Cheasty Mountain Bike/Pedestrian Trail was before the Board of Park Commissioners at least four times, between 2013 and 2015.
- The Seattle Board of Park Commissioners held a public hearing on the Cheasty Mountain Bike/Pedestrian Trail Pilot Project on April 9, 2015.
- Seattle Parks and Recreation convened a Project Advisory Team (PAT) for the Cheasty Mountain Bike/Pedestrian Trail Pilot Project, which included a five-month public process.
- Robust community outreach, two site tours and input from a Landscape Architect, Geotechnical Engineer and Environmental Consultant.
- Hundreds of public comments and input throughout the process helped shape and ultimately improve the proposed project.
Documents
North Loop Design Video Presentation
(April 2023)
North Loop SEPA DNS (May 2023)
• Determination of Non-Significance Document
• DNS Analysis
North Loop SEPA Checklist and Attachments (April 2023)
• SEPA Environmental Checklist Document
• Attachment-1 North Loop Trail Design
• Attachment-2 GeoTech Report 2022
• Attachment-3 Critical Areas Study And Conceptual Migitation Plan
• Attachment-4 Inadvertent Discovery Plan
• Attachment-5 Upper Luther Burbank Park Bike Skills Area Assessment
Phase One Opening Celebration Event Poster
(Oct 2022)
Cheasty Bike Trail Pilot Oct 2018 Info Sheet
(Oct 2018) Project updates
SEPA DNS document
(Oct 2018) Determination of Non-Significance
SEPA Checklist
(Sept 2018) Environmental Checklist
Cheasty Critical Areas Study Part 1
(Aug 2018) Critical Areas Study and Conceptual Mitigation Plan
Cheasty Critical Areas Study Part 2
(Aug 2018) Critical Areas Study and Conceptual Mitigation Plan, Appendix
Geotechnical Engineering Report 1 of 2
(July 2018) Draft Geotechnical Engineering Report
Geotechnical Engineering Report 2 of 2
(July 2018) Draft Geotechnical Engineering Report, Appendix
Cheasty Trails Map
(July 2018) Technical rendering
Cheasty Bike Trail Arborist Report
(July 2018)
Figure 1 Vicinity Map
(2016) Indicates project area
Figure 2 Wetland Delineation and Trail Design
(2017) Aerial view of wetlands
Figure 3 Geo Hazards
(2017) Aerial view of geologic hazard areas
Inadvertent Discovery Plan
Attachment 4: Cheasty Greenspace- Trail Pilot Project
Hearing Examiner's decision on the City Clerk's website
(Jan 2016) Findings and decision of the Hearing Examiner
Community Communications Documents (ZIP File)
(File includes but is not limited to: 2014 FAQ sheet, Bicycle Use Policy, 2014-2015 Outreach, 2014 Cheasty Project Advisory Team notes)
SEPA Documents (ZIP File)
(File includes but is not limited to: 2015 analysis and decision of SPR, 2015 Determination of Non-Significance, 2014 schematic design, SEPA checklist)
Environmental Documents (ZIP File 1)
(Jan 2014) Draft consultant agreement, (Nov 2014) Draft scope proposal, (Jan 2015) Wetland Reconnaissance and Wildlife Habitat Assessment
Environmental Documents (ZIP file 2)
(Nov 2013) Inventory snapshot, Monitoring criteria and evaluation checklist, 2013 Wildlife Survey
Maps/Drawings/Charts (ZIP File)
(Nov 2014) Preliminary schematics designs, slope map, GSP management zones and forest values, design process
Technical Reports (ZIP File 1)
(March 2015) Cheasty Schematic Design at Mountainview
Technical Reports (ZIP file 2)
(Jan 2014) Geotechnical engineering investigation, (Nov 2014) Preliminary Geotechnical Evaluation, Wetland Reconnaissance and Wildlife Habitat Assessment
Board of Park Commissioners Agendas and Minutes related to this project (ZIP file)
(Oct 2013. Nov 2013, Jan 2014, April 2015)
Project Advisory Team and Community Outreach documents (ZIP file)
(2014- 2015)
Hearing News Release
(Mar 2015)
Optional Trail Features
(Dec 2014)
FAQ Sheet for more information about this project
(May 2014)