Pathway Load Guidelines

On a case-by-case basis, the District may desire to allow access to the park for special events. These events may require access to the walkways by vehicles larger than a 1/2 ton pickup truck (e.g. food truck, box truck, full-size pickup truck, etc.). Large industrial vehicles, construction equipment, tractor-trailers, or other heavy loads should not be allowed to access the walkways at any time.

Event Planning: Special event operations should include an evaluation and analysis of required access needs and implications. An access plan should be prepared by the event organizer and reviewed and approved by the park manager. This information should include detailed specifications for the specific vehicles that will access the area, including their overall dimensions, wheel/axle spacing, and wheel/axle loads.

Frequency of Use: In order to minimize the risk of damage, the use of the walkways for vehicular traffic should be limited to only what is necessary. Some examples of decreasing frequency of use include the following: 

• Minimizing the number of trips
• Grouping of deliveries/access into fewer mobilizations
• Remote deliveries with large vehicles with shuttling of supplies with smaller vehicles to their desired location

Large Vehicle Travel and Parking: When operating a larger vehicle on the walkways, the following practices should be adhered to:

• Avoid parking with vehicle wheels adjacent to the edge of concrete walkways to avoid cracking/strain at the edges. Vehicles should be parked so that the wheels are three to four inches from the edge of the concrete walkways.
• Avoid mounting walkways from uneven or landscaped surfaces that have differential support. (i.e. driving from grass/landscaped areas onto concrete).
• Avoid parking with vehicle wheels adjacent to expansion joints between concrete panels.
• Avoid completing turns and sudden changes of direction with tires at concrete expansion joints.