Good ideas don’t go away. They stick around until they become reality. So it is with trails and open space. Almost every city in America has a desire to improve the livability of their community and trails and open space form a key part of that solution. My initiation with trail projects happened by chance. While serving as a park planner over a 10 year span at the City of Portland, I happened to be assigned a couple of trail projects – the Springwater Corridor and the Eastbank Esplanade, both of which now enjoy household name recognition. As a project type, trails are complex. They require consensus building with the multiple neighborhoods they pass through as well as compliance with multiple regulatory agencies. Done right, trails can enhance the identity of a community, and as a transportation route, they become the means by which people experience the landscape. The challenge of understanding communities around the country, building consensus with people, and playing a hand in implementing a network of sustainable, green infrastructure is a pretty good reason to come to work every morning.
Mr. Hudson is a registered landscape architect with 20 years of experience and one of the leading trail and bikeway designers in the Western United States. He has worked exclusively on alternative transportation projects for the past 14 years. He has acquired right-of-ways, master planned over 200 miles of alternative transportation routes, secured in excess of $10 million dollars for development projects, facilitated the public process on over 25 projects, addressed endangered species issues in conjunction with development projects, successfully negotiated trail rights with railroads, and overseen $35 million dollars of construction. He has a proven record of accomplishment of successfully working on complex projects requiring a multi-disciplinary team approach. His experience has ranged from major urban waterfront esplanades to earthen hiking and ski trails in the national forest.
Recent Projects
Mojave River Walk – Victorville, California
George is leading a multi-disciplinary team of professionals to develop a master plan for this 8-mile trail within a riparian corridor that runs through the Mojave Desert. The project includes building consensus with multiple agencies in San Bernardino County, including the Department of Fish and Wildlife, Army Corp of Engineers, Flood Control District, County Parks, the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad, surrounding businesses as well as the immediate neighbors. The project scope includes development of a full environmental impact report and the site is home to several endangered species.
Union Pacific Rail Trail Feasibility Study – Cupertino, California
George managed the development of a feasibility study for this 9- mile long rail with trail project that runs through the heart of California’s Silicon Valley. George developed alignment options in compliance with the Union Pacific Railroad development requests, facilitated the public process, prepared illustrative drawing depicting trail treatments, developed a phasing plan and cost estimates, developed right-of-way acquisition strategies in dealing with the railroad, and coordinated the effort with four cities the trail passes through including Cupertino, Saratoga, Campbell, and Los Gatos.
Springwater Corridor, Phase V – Gresham, Oregon
George is serving as principal designer on the development of a historic theme trailhead on this 16.8 mile long rail-to-trail project. Development program includes a 20-car parking area and redevelopment of Linnemann Station, a historic train stop on the 1903 Springwater Division Rail Line. Scope includes site survey, conceptual design and design development, bid document production, specifications, bidding assistance, and construction management.
