Redwood Highway Multi-Use Pathway Project

The Town of Corte Madera was in the design phase of a project to rehabilitate the Redwood Highway Multi-Use Path between Wornum Drive and San Clemente Drive. The project upgraded the existing path to a class I multi-use path with 8 feet of asphalt paved surface and 2 foot decomposed granite shoulders. Three new Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant curb ramps were installed at all street crossings and the Town upgraded the Shorebird Marsh Viewpoint area with new benches and asphalt resurfacing.

This project originated from requests from path users and the Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) due to the poor condition of the path, numerous uplifted areas due to tree roots, and narrow bottleneck sections.

Tree Removal and Landscaping Plan
The Town removed approximately 40 existing trees along Redwood Highway which were uplifting and damaging both the roadway and the pathway. The then-existing trees included: Italians Stone Pines, Peruvian Pepper, Acacia, and Silver Dollar Gum Eucalyptus, are all foreign trees that have aggressive root systems and have outgrown their provided space in the vegetated strip between the street and path. Most of these tree species are considered fire prone according to the Central Marin Fire Authority Guidelines.

As part of the design scope, a certified arborist inspected all the trees on the project and determined that the work to replace the path would end up killing most of the trees due to cut roots. The 39 Crape Myrtle trees between Wornum Drive and Nordstroms were not damaging the asphalt and were not removed.

In order to maintain the aesthetically pleasing nature of the bike path, the Town hired WRA Environmental Consultants to create plans to install new irrigation and replant the vegetated strip next to the path with trees and shrubs that have the following traits:

• Preferably native species
• Aesthetically pleasing species that are planted in other parts of town
• Drought resistant plants and trees
• Small to medium size trees that will fit in allotted space with nonaggressive root systems
• Species which can survive in subpar soil conditions

Project Status: Completed. 

Project Type: Bicycle, Pedestrian, Sustainability

For more information, contact Chris Good cgood@tcmmail.org for follow-up questions.