Nathan Danner has to cross Robert Street in West St. Paul on his bike every day during the summer when he commutes to work.

"I don't like it," he said as he waited on the corner of Butler Avenue and Robert Street. "I have almost been hit here a couple times."

West St. Paul's busy Robert Street is not the most forgiving road for pedestrians and bicyclists. To address issues with the commercial corridor and other areas of town, West St. Paul soon will publish its draft pedestrian and bicycle master plan, which when finalized should be used as a long-term guide to help the city become more bike- and pedestrian-friendly.

Improvements to the road would be welcomed by Danner, 20, who said the intersection could use some work. "No one ever pays attention," he said. "Even when I have the green, people fly around the corner."

One of the plan's highest priorities as identified by public comments gathered in the past couple of months is to improve the biking and walking environment along Robert Street.

The city's main street doesn't have accommodations for bicyclists and isn't great for pedestrians, either. Sidewalks are not well connected to the adjacent neighborhoods, and large parking lots can loom like deserts between the sidewalk and front door of businesses. Based on feedback, those on foot and bike also don't generally feel safe at intersections.

But Robert Street isn't the only area of West St. Paul that needs work.

Some of the roads that are designated bike routes -- such as Wentworth Avenue, Delaware Avenue and Dodd Road -- were found to be tricky for the average and novice cyclist because of high vehicle speeds, the amount of traffic and inconsistent road treatments.

In general, the city's bike and sidewalk system has been found to have significant gaps, especially in the south of the city.

Despite these challenges, resident Michael Orange, a consultant and former city planner for Minneapolis, said that creating a safer environment so that cars and other modes of transportation can coexist is doable.

Actually, it's something that the city has discussed already, at least for Robert Street, in its Renaissance Plan, he said.

The Renaissance Plan was prepared in 2000 as a guide for the redevelopment of Robert Street. One of the goals identified was to "improve the livability of the corridor by providing for a mixture of uses, supporting transit and cyclists, and balancing the functional needs of traffic with safety and aesthetic needs for a comfortable pedestrian environment."

"It still stands as one of the best corridor plans I have ever seen. ... The Renaissance Plan set the tone, and the city has been in fits and starts developing it," Orange said.

Some of the city's pedestrian and bicyclist needs are expected to be addressed in the $13 million Robert Street improvements project that is being worked on. The project could include street updates like a bike trail that crosses Robert. The city will utilize recommendations from the master plan as it gets into the preliminary design phase of the project later this year, said City Planner Ben Boike.

"In lieu of the Robert Street project [the plan] is trying to look at the city as a whole to get a more comprehensive view of the city other than just Robert Street," Boike said.

Input for the plan came from public comments at a June community open house, as well as an online questionnaire and meetings with the City Council and the Parks and Recreation Commission.

The draft plan is expected to be presented at the next community open house in September, Boike said.

The plan is funded by a grant from the Minnesota State Health Improvement Program and the Dakota County Active Living Partnership.

For more information, visit www.wspwalkbike.com.

Nicole Norfleet • 612-673-4495