4Creeks partnered with the Tulare County Association of Governments (TCAG) and the Tulare County Resource Management Agency to help provide safe and functional active transportation options. Rocky Hill Drive, located in Exeter, is popular among bicyclists and pedestrians because of the beautiful ranchland that surrounds it, but lacks the necessary infrastructure to support this level of multi-modal use. 4Creeks created a pedestrian trail feasibility report and multiple design options to improve the road’s mobility, access, and safety.

The planning process began with analyzing the site’s existing conditions and evaluating the success of other comparable projects in the area. The team assessed features such as existing pedestrian and cycling infrastructure, traffic counts and accident reports, culturally significant assets, and potential environmental impacts to determine the feasibility of various design elements.

Another significant portion of the planning process was community-based information gathering. The team crafted a survey that gathered opinions on necessary improvements that was distributed through a mobile public workshop on the Rocky Hill site. Additionally, 4Creeks held meetings with both the TCAG Active Transportation Advisory Committee and stakeholders, including property owners and a cyclist who frequented the trail. To demonstrate the full potential of the design options, 4Creeks also created detailed illustrations.

4Creeks used all this information to identify the need for new parking lot and bathroom facilities, a pedestrian pathway alongside the road, informative signage on Rocky Hill history, and gates for cattle crossing and pesticide spray closure periods. To assist with the implementation of these changes, 4Creeks also created a cost estimate and identified regulatory constraints, the necessary permits, and possible funding sources for the project.