Differing Designs for Royer Park Bridges, Bikeway Scrutinized Tonight

Roseville residents can give their input on two differing proposals for the future of Royer Park's bikeway and bridges tonight. 

The city presents the two competing designs outlining where the a new central downtown bridge and the historic Rube Nelson "Icehouse" bridges will go and what they will look like during a community meeting tonight from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Tower Theater located at 417 Vernon St. 

The conceptual designs differ on location of a city proposed downtown pedestrian bridge and the use of the Rube Nelson "Icehouse" Bridge.

Completed in 1935, Royer Park is one of the oldest neighborhood parks nestled in the heart of Roseville.

The City of Roseville's specific plan currently calls to open up the park by-way of a central bridge leading across from the park into nearby Oak Street, connecting the park to the new Town Square currently under completion.

It also calls to extend a bike trail along the creek in Royer Park. 

Prior to the plan's approval, two secluded pedestrian bridges have connected the park to the west side of Dry Creek. One was a recently removed pedestrian park near the Downtown Library. The other is the historic Rube Nelson "Icehouse" bridge near Veterans Memorial Hall. 

Representatives from the Sacramento office of Mark Thomas & Company, Inc. and Roseville-based KPFF Consulting Engineers will present their designs and field questions during tonight's meeting.

The Mark Thomas & Company plan shows a downtown main bridge that would run along the current location of the Carl J. Green Fire Station, already proposed to be moved in the city's specific plan. And would move and convert the Rube Nelson "Icehouse" bridge into a bikeway bridge.

The KPFF plan proposes running the downtown bridge alongside the current site of the fire station and to keep the Icehouse bridge where it is currently located as a walking bridge.

KPFF proposes a bike trail run further west along the creek and cross at a new bikeway pedestrian bridge near the library.

Specifically, according to the plans, the Mark Thomas plan would rotate the Icehouse bridge near to land on the other side of Veterans Memorial Hall from its current location and make modifications to the bridge's decking and railings. 

Mark Thomas' also proposes removing some of the parallel parking spaces and some trees near Dietrich Drive to a new parking lot on the other side of the veteran's hall. The project also would include the removal of some trees, said Matt Brogan, Mark Thomas' associate division manager. "We would minimize the removal of any trees of course," Brogan said. 

Overall, Brogan said "I think our design has effectively blended the elements of the Downtown Specific Plan, input we heard at the public meeting, and the long term vision for Downtown Roseville." 

Brogan added his firm's downtown bridge design, with aesthetics developed by Dave Piches architects, has a strong sense of Roseville's history. "I think he has really captured this in the railroad theme and Work Progress Administration (WPA) styles in his designs," said Brogan. 

KPFF's plan would also make some refurbished improvements to the Ichehouse bridge.

"The KPFF design proposes to leave the historic Rube Nelson bridge in its current location and build a bridge near the library that will serve pedestrians and bicyclists," said Dan Allwardt, manager for KPFF. "The Downtown Bridge in our design will be wide enough to accommodate vendors on special occasions with a grand staircase into Royer Park strategically located to save several beautiful mature trees and avoid eliminating any existing parking in the area."

Both conceptual plans retain the parking lot next to the Veteran's Memorial Hall, said Mike Dour, city analyst for alternative transportation.  

After the meeting the bridge project's selection committee, appointed by the city council, will make their recommendations on the project to the Council during their Dec. 17 meeting, explained Dour. 

"We're not locked in to either of these team's proposals," said Dour. "This meeting will give us the initial feedback from the public and let us know what they feel are the strengths and weaknesses of each design." 

A final decision on the final design could be expected by February or March 2013, he said. He said there would likely be additional public meetings before then as well. 

The two designs can be reviewed beforehand online or in-person at the city's Civic Center on Vernon Street or in the Downtown Library, 225 Taylor St.  

Grant and earmarked funds will be used to complete the project.

City staff will take feedback on the two designs up until Dec. 6. To view the designs, provide feedback or for more information visit www.roseville.ca.us/DowntownBridges.

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