Pumpkinvine Trailhead Development and Bridge Rehabilitation (Updated August 25, 2009)

Through the Lily Foundation and an Indiana Trails Grant, the Elkhart County Park & Recreation Department has continued the development and construction of the Pumpkinvine Trail. The County Park Board has commissioned Lehman & Lehman, Inc. to complete the design and development of a trailhead and parking lot as well as bridge rehabilitation.

The trailhead layout and design will be located east of State Road 13. It will include the development of a rest area equipped with picnic tables, benches, a drinking fountain and bike racks. In addition, the trailhead design will include an information kiosk about the Pumpkinvine Trail. Located off the west side of County Road 43, the new parking lot will serve users of the trail. It will accommodate ten vehicles and will have two spaces that are handicap accessible with easy access to the adjacent trail.

Bridge rehabilitation work will occur on three former railroad bridges. One spans the south fork of Pine Creek and the other two span Mather Ditch and East Lake Ditch. The bridge work will include bank stabilization and stream realignment as well as the replacement of existing piles, ties, back walls, and new decking, rail systems and concrete approaches.

Construction by bridge contractor, Beer & Slabaugh, is in progress. Bridge completion is scheduled for June. The completion of the trailhead is set for September, 2009 and the parking lot in 2010. Photos showing "Before", "In-Progress" and "Final" stages of construction for each of the three bridges, parking lot and trailhead are below.

SOUTH PINE CREEK BRIDGE "FINAL"

6.2.09 Approaching the renovated bridge from the east - Final segment of trail ready to be paved


6.2.09 Completed bridge renovation - New bridge decking, railing and concrete approaches


6.2.09 Old supports New - Decades old substructure supports new Pumpkinvine Pedestrian Trail


6.2.09 Newly contoured embankment stabilized with erosion control fabric and native seeding


6.2.09 View of new bridge looking towards County Road 33 and the cleaned up former railroad corridor

SOUTH PINE CREEK BRIDGE "IN-PROGRESS"

5.19.09 Re-aligned South Pine Creek with glacial stone bank stabilization


5.19.09 View looking east across the renovated bridge from the west bridge approach


5.19.09 View looking west where the new approach and guardrail meet the existing trail


5.19.09 Subgrade and base preparation for the east approach


5.19.09 New bridge railing cantilevered supports tied into the existing substructure


5.19.09 New bridge railing


5.19.09 New bridge deck surface abutting the concrete approach


5.19.09 Glacial stone bank stabilization


5.19.09 South Pine Creek Bridge renovation nearing completion

5.1.09 Existing East Bridge abutment with new pile encasement

5.1.09 South Pine Creek realignment and the early stages of bank stabilization

5.1.09 New west bridge abutment construction

5.1.09 Clearing of invasive trees on the east bank prior to bank stabilization

5.1.09 Existing bridge deck, curb and ties to be replaced with new wood decking and railings


5.1.09 East end of bridge - continuation of the new Pumpkinvine Trail segment to County Road 33


5.1.09 New stream alignment after site clearing, earthwork and debris removal

SOUTH PINE CREEK BRIDGE "BEFORE"

10.3.08 View looking east across the existing bridge and along the existing trail corridor toward County Road 33


7.2.08 Existing South Pine Creek Bridge


7.2.08 Existing temporary decking and deteriorating cross ties


7.2.08 View upstream (north) under existing bridge


7.2.08 Current stream location and center pile bent


7.2.08 Existing west abutment and severe bank erosion

PARKING LOT "BEFORE"

7.2.08 Proposed trail parking lot entrance off of County Road 43
and existing vegetation

7.2.08 Adjacent Proposed trail corridor, north of new parking lot

7.2.08 View of proposed trail corridor from location of new parking lot


TRAILHEAD "BEFORE"

7.2.08 Proposed trail route through woods and trailhead entry


7/2/08 Proposed trailhead location within existing woods
(north side of proposed trail)


7/2/08 Proposed trailhead (south side of proposed trail)


MATHER DITCH BRIDGE "IN-PROGRESS"

7.9.09 Existing bridge piles to be cut level to eliminate super-elevation of former railroad bridge


7.9.09 Existing bridge beams to be salvaged and re-used on renovated bridge


7.9.09 Mather Ditch flowing north - existing bridge piles to be replaced


7.9.09 View of western abutment scheduled for repair


7.9.09 Temporary earth platform for crane staging - east side of bridge


MATHER DITCH BRIDGE "BEFORE"

7.2.08 Existing deteriorating decking and overgrown vegetation on
Mather Ditch Bridge


7.2.08 Western view of the Mather Ditch Bridge on the
Pumpkinvine Trail Corridor


7.2.08 Eastern bridge pile bent and bridge abutment


EAST LAKE BRIDGE "IN-PROGRESS"

7.9.09 New substructure of East Lake Ditch Bridge prior to temporary decking


7.9.09 East Lake Ditch Bridge reconstruction


7/9/09 New bridge substructure - temporary decking will be installed to allow for trail paving


6.22.09 Bank protection for stream in-flow


6.22.09 New east bridge abutment with rip-rap bank stabilization


6.22.09 New west bridge abutment


6.22.09 New bridge abutments ready for new beams, ties and decking


6.22.09 New back wall reconstruction piles, pile cap and bank stabilization


6.22.09 Bank protection for stream out-flow


6.2.09 Existing deteriorated pile caps removed and scheduled to be replaced


6.2.09 Existing deteriorated piles scheduled to be removed and replaced

6.2.09 Unexpected deteriorated bridge beams that will be replaced with new HS-20 rated timber beams


6.2.09 Bridge construction crew positions new pile as it is suspended vertically by the crane


6.2.09 Crane mounted drop hammer begins to drive the new pile on the east side of East Lake Ditch


6.2.09 Crew observes pile as it is driven into the ground


EAST LAKE BRIDGE "BEFORE"

7.2.08 Existing deteriorating East Lake Ditch Bridge and decking


7.2.08 Existing west approach to bridge


7.2.08 Existing west abutment and back wall with overgrown vegetation


7.2.08 Existing deteriorating cross ties and piles, scheduled to be replaced