Transforming Assets for Valued

Use by the Public and Agency

Master Plan - Site 1

Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Neil Carney, P.E.

Supervisor – Environmental Services

Ayres Associates Inc

Project Background

• Cedar Rapids/Linn County Solid Waste Agency

• Provide Master Plan for Site 1

• Develop Plan to:– Improve Operations at Active Facility

– Provide Options for Development of Closed Landfill

– Maintain Level of Service During and After Construction

Site 1 Description - Location

• Located two (2) miles SE from

downtown Cedar Rapids

• 75 acres - Closed Landfill

• 30 acres - Composting, Yard Waste &

Recycling Facility

• Site overlooks downtown Cedar Rapids

Closed Landfill

75 Acres

Site 1 – Closed Landfill

• Mt. Trashmore – 200 ft. elevation

change

• Open from 1962 to 1994 for MSW

• Re-opened in 2008 to accept debris

from flood damage

• Closed since 2011

• Clay cap with active flare/blower

system ~ 700CFM

Site 1 – Composting & Recycling Facility

• Material Collection and Recycling

• Composting and Yard Waste Facility

– Wood Waste – 6,700 tons/year

– Yard Waste and Leaves – 22,500 tons/year

- Waste Oil - Glass - Batteries

- Appliances - Used Tires - Electronics

- Scrap Metal - FluorescentBulbs

- Shingles

Closed Landfill

75 Acres

Composting and

Recycling Facility

30 Acres

Site Access

Scale House and

Operations

Buildings

Composting

Windrows

Yard Waste and

Wood Stockpile

Areas

Compost, Recycling, and Wood Recovery

Facility Improvements

Challenges For Customers at

Composting Facility• Traffic bottlenecked by one (1) scale

• Lack of defined travel routes

• Lack of clear signage

• Same pick-up and drop-off locations for

residential and commercial users

• Restricted access for drop-off at

recycling building

Challenges For Agency at

Composting Facility• Outdated Buildings

• Access roads do not allow equipment

travel

• Legacy structures and functions on-site

– WWTP Clarifiers

– Woodchip Stockpile Area

• Inefficient Layout of Stockpile Areas

Challenges For Public Access to

Landfill Cap• No parking or access point

• No trails to reach top of landfill

• Lack of secured gas well heads

• Requirement to control access

• Improvements cannot impact cap

integrity

• Long-term maintenance and

inspections

Master Site Plan Process

Master Site Plan Process

Vision

Community

Redevelopment

Stakeholder

Input

Operations

Review

Master Plan

Preparation

Site

Planning

Facility Improvement Goals

For Customers

• Separated Residential and Commercial

Traffic Flows for Improved Safety

• Clearly Marked Routes for Improved

Circulation

• User Friendly Stations for Efficient

Drop-offs and Pick-ups

Facility Improvement Goals

For Agency

• Configure Site for Full Use of All Areas

• Optimize Site Layout for Efficient

Operations

• Provide Buildings That Meet Needs

• Improve Safety – Reduce Liabilities

• Beneficial Reuse of Existing Assets

Facility Improvement Goals

For Public

• Space needed for parking and trailhead

• Create access to landfill cap

– Recreational Use

– Planned Events

• Expanded area for community use

• Family Pavilions

Development Themes

• Three Themes Developed:

– Enterprise Focus

– Agency Focus

– Community Focus

• Provides a Range of Development

Options

Facility Services Selection• Agency Subcommittee Ranking and

Selection

• Revised Site Layout

Expanded Composting Operations

New Operations Buildings

Consolidated Stockpile Locations

• Development Considerations

Photovoltaic (PV) array

Landfill gas boiler system - heat recovery

Commercial greenhouses

New Site Entrance

• New Site Gate

– Lighted at night for visibility and security

– Can be automated

• New Signage

– Identifies Landfill Access Parking Lot and

Trail Head

New Scale House and Site Access

• Scale House

– Designed for one staff person

– Restroom and custodial closet

• Site Access

– Two Scales

– Main entrance and exit lane

– Gates controlled by landfill staff

Residential and Commercial Loop Structure

• Dedicated service loop structure

• Clear signage

• Recycling Building – drive through

• Separated areas for material drop-off,

stockpiling, and pick-up

• Areas sited to improve operations and

reduce costs

Landfill Redevelopment FeaturesWalking and Biking Trails

• Trails throughout the landfill

• Different routes for difficulty and distance

variation

• 12-foot width crushed stone surface

• Connection to Cedar River Trail

• Walking/bike trails – 11,200 LF

• Mountain bike Trails – 9,300 LF

Landfill Redevelopment Features

Overlook Decks at Landfill Summit

• Unique viewpoint destination

• Two separate decks at summit

• Interpretive and educational plaques to

provide history of Cedar Rapids

• Interpretive artwork and sculpture placed

near summit

Landfill Redevelopment Features

Vegetative Plantings

• On-contour plantings

• Native and prairie grass species

• Species planted to target desirable insects

(i.e. butterflies) and birds

Construction Phasing

• Maintain current level of operations

• Provide space for construction of new

site elements

• Allow for a planned approach to

budgeting and capital outlay

Construction Phasing Schedule

Site Walkthrough

Master Plan Goals Met

1) Improve Operations at Active Facility

2) Maintain Level of Service During and After

Construction

3) Explore Options for Development of

Closed Landfill

4) Provide improved public access to landfill

cap

5) Identify Funding Opportunities

For Additional Information

Neil Carney, P.E

Ayres Associates

Direct Phone – 608-354-6311

carneyn@ayresassociates.com