Memo Concept Approval Regional Trails
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CITY OF HOPKINS
MEMORANDUM
DATE: February 6, 1992
TO: Mayor and City Council I
FROM: Lee Gustafson, Public Works Director~
SUBJECT: Concept Approval for Regional Trails on L.R.T. Right-
of-Way
Over the past few months staff has periodically met with Hennepin
Park personnel regarding the possibility of constructing regional
trails on the existing Hennepin County Regional Railroad
Authority < HCRRA) right-of-way. It now appears as if
construction of these trails is becoming more of a reality, and
as such, Hennepin Parks has requested that the City of Hopkins
send a letter of support to their board for this trail
construction. Hennepin Parks plans to use these letters as means
of measuring the amount of support for 'regional trails. staff
therefore wants Council to review the trails and authorize the
Mayor to send a letter to Hennepin Parks supporting the concept
of constructing regional trails in these areas.
Before discussing the concept of regional trails staff would like
to provide Council with some background information on another
issue that is affected by regional trails. Late last year staff
began developing an RFP for the improvements along County Road 3
from TH 169 to 11th Avenue South. After developing a base RFP,
it became apparent that a trail map should be developed prior to
constructing the aesthetic improvements to ensure everything
would be developed to complement each other. Staff has therefore
started to develop a revised RFP that is split into two phases.
Phase one would be the development of a bikeway/walkway/sidewalk
plan, and phase two would be a plan for the County Road 3
improvements.
The recent development of the regional trail concept fits in
nicely with phase one of the study by allowing the city to use
this as a trunk line that can be branched off of with smaller
bikeway/walkways. The revised RFP will hopefully be ready to be
sent out by March 1, with phase one of the study completed by
April 15.
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February 6, 1992
Page 2
In the recent discussions with Hennepin Parks they have indicated
that they may very soon be getting a right-of-use permit from
HCRRA for construction of temporary trails on the HCRRA right-of-
way. If this happens, Hennepin Parks would then be able to work
with each city to construct temporary regional trails in these
areas. HCRRA requires the trails to be constructed out of
crushed rock instead of bituminous allowing them to be classified
as temporary trails and easily relocated if LRT is constructed.
Hennepin Parks has furthermore indicated that they would possibly
fund the entire construction cost of these trails including
signing out of their 1992 budget. Also, that if the city wanted
them to, they would maintain the trails, provide enforcement, and
possibly plowing in the winter.
staff has been impressed with how Hennepin Parks is approaching
this issue, especially their willingness to help out, and work
with the cities throughout the entire process. staff did inform
Hennepin Parks that Hopkins has a concern with how we could
possibly provide a route to connect the two regional trails, and
that the city would be looking at different alternatives for this
during the preparation of the bikeway/walkway/sidewalk plan. One
option that staff has been exploring for this purpose is the 8th
Avenue corridor. At this time 8th Avenue appears to be the most
obvious route because of the direct route between the trails, and
having a signalized intersection at CR 3.
Based on Hennepin Parks approach to this issue, and that they are
more than willing to contribute towards the construction and
maintenance of the trails, staff would strongly urge the city to
send a letter of support to Hennepin Parks for the trail
development. The letter would basically support the concept, and
would not tie the city down to any specifics.