Agenda - Council Work Session - 10/25/2011

Home

38. Year Round Trail Usage: The City of Ramsey maintains its loop trail system and its other most popular trails for year - round usage by walkers, runners /joggers, bicyclists, and inline skaters. During the spring, summer and fall, routine maintenance and cleaning is performed to ensure safety. In the winter, trails are plowed to allow users a safe surface for their chosen mode of transportation. Depending on weather conditions, plowing of trails usually begins as soon as practicable after completion of the streets. Since this trail would be part of the City's loop trail system, the City would maintain it for year -round usage. EVALUATION CRITERIA All applicants must address each of the following seven evaluation criteria that are listed, and in the order that they are presented below. Failure to provide information on each of the criterion will result in the disqualification of the application. 39. Site and Project Quality: The proposed Trott Brook Greenway to Elmcrest Park Trail along MN Hwy 47 /St. Francis Boulevard will provide a primarily off -road multi -use trail on the western side of this busy state highway. Two short segments of the trail will use existing roadways and be designed as on -road segments: • at the trail's southern end (less than 1 /4 mile) on Quicksilver Street, which is also the entry road into Elmcrest Park. A paved trail is not included in this project because this area is anticipated to be a part of a development project in the short -term. When development occurs, a new paved road and separate multi -use trail will be constructed. • at the trail's mid - section, where Quicksilver Street briefly runs adjacent to MN Hwy 47 /St. Francis Boulevard (approx. 450 ft.). An on -road segment has been chosen due to the limited space available in the right -of -way between the two roads and because this is such as low - volume road that on -road striping is a more economical use of limited trail funding. The costs for striping and signing these roadways has not been included as part of the proposed project budget but will be completed with other city funds. The preferred trail alignment would cross one wetland area utilizing an environmentally - sensitive boardwalk to be constructed over the wetland. However, if impacts to the wetland remain a concern and /or construction of the boardwalk is too costly, an alternative trail alignment is possible by shifting the trail a bit closer to the roadway. Existing traffic volumes on MN Hwy 47 /St. Francis Boulevard is estimated at almost 15,000 average annual daily traffic (AADT). Providing a trail that is separated from this busy highway for non - motorized transportation modes will ensure a safe and convenient trail that is a critical connection between several important community destinations, including Elmcrest Park, the Trott Brook Greenway, Rivers Bend Park (community park), Fox Park, Ramsey Elementary Revised 12/7/2010 Page 5