Agenda - Parks and Recreation Commission - 04/13/2017

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Mississippi River Trail The Mi sissippi Rive, Trail (MR''r)?s a world -dam bicycling route that travels from the headwaters of the Mississippi River at Lake Itasca, Minnesota to the Della at the Gull of Mexico in Louisiana. Ramsey Station, October 2014: People use the rail and bus service for commuting, efficient access to the airport, as well a connection to the region's trail systems Integration The pedestrian facility will be the embodiment of the intentional combining of related activities and infrastructure to achieve more effective results in coordinating the way people travel, commute, work and play. The bike and ped bridge will be an example of the County, City and Council effectively working with all partners and stakeholders throughout the region to secure funding for a project that will have multiple benefits. Collaboration The Mississippi Skyway, with its direct connection to the National Mississippi River Trail and U.S. Bikeway #45 - when completed with a realigned Central Anoka County Trail, will be an unequaled example of collaboration in advancing the region most effectively towards shared outcomes. The pedestrian bridge is an expensive facility, no single entity has the capacity to fund it alone, and therefore a shared strategy is truly in the region's interest. Indeed, it is the Metropolitan Council's mission to foster these partnerships and reciprocal relationships to address regional opportunities and solutions —therefore maintaining the pedestrian bridge as a named Phased improvement within the Master Plan for the park is essential. Accountability and Additional Directives Identifying the proposed pedestrian bridge over U.S. Hwy's #10 & #169 as a priority for the regional partners to secure Federal funding; will fulfill the Council's mission of an equitable return on investments across the geographic region. This positions the Council, the Metropolitan Parks and Open Space Commission, regional park agencies, municipalities, the National Park Service, and state partners to effectively collaborate on: Expanding the Regional Parks System to conserve, maintain, and connect natural resources identified as being of high quality or having regional importance, as identified in the 2040 Regional Parks Policy Plan Mississippi West Regional Park Master Plan Amendment — City of Ramsey Response Page 9 of 15