Agenda - Council Work Session - 10/25/2011

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School, Rum River Boy Scout Camp, and commercial nodes along MN Hwy 47 /St. Francis Boulevard — in addition to the historic Trott Brook Cemetery at the north end of this project. This proposed trail segment will also provide a critical connection needed to create a loop trail system in the eastern portion of the community as part of the larger, planned city -wide loop trail system. The installation of restrooms at Elmcrest Park will provide an amenity for trail users. At over 100 acres, Elmcrest Park is the only large park along Hwy 47 and is located about halfway between Hwy 10 and the proposed Trott Brook Greenway. Elmcrest Park already has a parking lot so it can serve as a trailhead for the City's proposed loop system. 40. Accessibility: The City is committed to providing for accessibility for users of all ages and abilities consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This trail will be designed in accordance with ADA guidelines and the MN /DOT Bicycle Facility Design Manual. 41. Public Need for and Benefit of Project: The City of Ramsey has a goal of developing a system of safe trails throughout the community as part of its Parks, Recreation & Open Space Plan. This plan is a chapter of the City's 2030 Comprehensive Plan, which was recently updated and adopted by the City Council. The City has placed a priority on providing a loop trail system that knits all of its parks and natural resource areas together, while providing a desirable recreational resource unto itself for walkers, joggers /runners, bicyclists, and inline skaters. As traffic levels increase within urban areas, trail development is a significant element of park planning as a means of providing safe and convenient connections between residential areas and places to work, shop, and recreate. Since MN Hwy 47 /St. Francis Boulevard is the primary north -south arterial roadway in the eastern portion of the community and, likewise, the primary planned north -south trail route, this trail segment is a critical need for enabling walkers, joggers /runners, bicyclists, and inline skaters safe access to the community's loop trail system and nearby community destinations, including Elmcrest Park, Rivers Bend Park (community park), Fox Park, Ramsey Elementary School, Rum River Boy Scout Camp, and commercial nodes along MN Hwy 47 /St. Francis Boulevard. The proposed Trott Brook Greenway to Elmcrest Park Trail along MN Hwy 47 /St. Francis Boulevard fills in a critical gap in the community's loop trail system and provides a much safer option for non - motorized travel along this busy State highway. Currently trail users must travel along the very narrow shoulder of MN Hwy 47 /St. Francis Boulevard. With an annual average daily traffic (AADT) volume of almost 15,000 vehicles, non - motorized travel along this corridor will continue to be intimidating and dangerous. The proposed trail will eliminate these safety concerns, as well as provide the north -south connectivity the community is currently lacking in its loop trail system. The proposed trail will connect directly to Elmcrest Park, which is a community park with soccer Revised 12/7/2010 Page 6