Continued: River bike trail gains traction in Bloomington

Imagine being able to hop on a bike at Fort Snelling and pedal for hours on a quiet trail along the Minnesota River, winding all the way to Le Sueur, 72 miles upriver.

The state authorized building the trail in 1969, but progress has been slow. There has been little money for development, and the unlinked segments of trail that have been built are mostly dirt.

Now the project is getting a boost from the city of Bloomington, which in its draft alternative transportation plan declares the Minnesota River Trail Corridor its top trail priority.

Developing 13 miles of trail along the river through Bloomington would cost about $3.9 million, money that probably would come mostly from the state. The trail has long been on the wish list for funding by the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

"It would be tremendous if we could do this, not only for recreation and leisure but for [bicycle] commuters who would be able to get into Minneapolis and up into the Minneapolis trail system," said Randy Quale, Bloomington parks and recreation manager. "If we put it in the Bloomington system, it might get the project accelerated."

The plan has yet to go to the City Council, which could change recommended priorities from city staff and a citizen task force. Other top trails in the city's draft plan include a 2-mile, $500,000 extension of the southern end of the Hyland trail, which runs near Bush Lake.

Another top priority is to build a 3.5-mile trail in east Bloomington along Xcel Energy powerlines that run near Park Avenue. The power company right of way includes a strip of green space about 75 to 100 feet wide, Quale said. The estimated cost of creating that trail is almost $1.5 million.

Joined with the pedestrian walkways along American Boulevard at the city's northern edge, the three new trails would create a "wonderful grand loop through the city," Quale said.

Bloomington began working on the transportation plan last year after it received an $80,000 "active community" grant from BlueCross BlueShield. "We wanted to look at less reliance on motor vehicles, and we were looking at ways to be a greener community," Quale said.

Bloomington boomed mostly after World War II, when development followed an auto-friendly pattern. Today, the city's aging residents, as well as younger families, want more safe and developed areas to bike and walk, Quale said. Census figures show that between 1990 and 2000, the median age of Bloomington residents increased from 33 to 40.

Like Edina and Richfield, Bloomington also is trying to develop more bikeways. Priority bikeways in the plan include a mile-long connection between Hyland Park and the Bloomington Ferry Road trailhead; 2 miles on Old Cedar Avenue South; 2.5 miles along West 102nd Street, and 4.5 miles along 111th Street, Nesbitt Avenue, West 94th Street and Poplar Bridge Road. Quale said bicyclists helped shape those plans by identifying streets that already provide natural routes for bicyclists.

The Minnesota River trail would be used by both hikers and bikers. Dirt trails that are used by both already snake along some parts of the river bluffs, and those likely would stay, Quale said. If the new trail were built, it probably would be paved. It also would be wide enough for use both by walkers and bikers and be nearer the river than the existing trails.

Building the Bloomington portion of the trail would require a partnership among the city, the DNR and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service because it would pass through the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge. Some parcels of land along the river are still held by private parties, so rights of way would have to be negotiated.

Only about 6 miles of the entire trail is blacktop now -- a portion near Shakopee.

Though the river trail is in the DNR's 10-year capital improvement plan, it is just one of many priorities that compete for funding, said Larry Peterson, DNR development and real estate manager for Minnesota state parks.

And while completion of the trail is "years away," he said, "we're going to try to find funding for various segments as the money comes together."

Funding for other projects listed in Bloomington's plan is yet to be determined. The final word on priorities and funding lies with the City Council. The plan will be presented to the council later this month with final approval expected by the end of April.

The plan is posted on Bloomington's website at tinyurl.com/36zdrc.

Mary Jane Smetanka • 612-673-7380