Hailey Greenway Master Plan
Hailey, ID, USA
City of Hailey & Wood River Land Trust
Planning for the Greenway so that management, restoration, and development efforts are consistent and work towards common future goals.
Services
Public Outreach
Hydraulic Analysis
Landscape Architecture
Greenway Planning
About the project
The Hailey Greenway includes lands along 1.5-miles of the Big Wood River west of Hailey, Idaho. For the past 20 years, the City of Hailey and the Wood River Land Trust (WRLT) have been working cooperatively on land use, restoration, and river protection projects along the Hailey Greenway. The Greenway Master Plan represents the next phase in planning for the Greenway so that management, restoration, and development efforts are consistent and work towards common future goals.
How we did it
Harmony Design and Engineering worked collaboratively with the City of Hailey, the WRLT, and the community to develop the Hailey Greenway Master Plan. The Greenway encompasses approximately 350-acres and includes two public parks, as well as open space land owned by the City of Hailey and the preserves owned by the WRLT. Harmony provided public outreach, land planning, landscape architecture, hydraulic engineering, and floodplain analysis for this project. Biota Research and Consulting provided geomorphic and restoration recommendations for the Big Wood River.
The mission for the Master Plan was to provide a framework that, when implemented, will balance human use with the needs of fish, wildlife, the river, and its floodplain. The Master Plan process started in early 2017. In June 2017, the Big Wood River experienced significant flooding through the Greenway and the surrounding neighborhoods. In response, the public outreach largely addressed long-term floodplain management concerns. Multiple interactive mobile workshops, open houses, and stakeholder interviews were held.
The Master Plan identified projects that will help restore the river functions and enhance riparian habitat, while allowing space for the community to enjoy the river. This includes reactivating side channels, constructing off-line ponds, reconnecting the floodplain through excavation, and designating wildlife conservation areas. Recreational amenities included nature trails, parking improvements, river access, pavilions, and restrooms. Projects were prioritized based on community input and cost estimates were developed to help guide the implementation plan, which included low, medium, and high priority projects.
