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4. DESIGN APPROACH Trail construction along this corridor will be used to connect local residents, Bethel University, and area parks to other existing and proposed trails. The majority of trail users are anticipated to come from adjacent neighborhoods, most of whom will be coming from west of Old Snelling Avenue and Old Highway 10. Adjacent to the trail, the west side corridor has 86 properties while the east side has 30 properties. In evaluating the trail alternatives, the costs for the different configurations meeting the design criteria were assessed. To the extent practical, the recommended trail configuration consists of a pathway adjacent to the existing roadway for both the areas that are rural and urban which meet the minimum separation requirements outlined in Table 2. In areas with a rural road section and a narrow right-of-way or areas adjacent wetlands and lakes, it is recommended that concrete curb and gutter be addec� to reduce the minimum separation to five feet. In areas that would still impact wetlands or lakes, it is recommended that the trail be constructed immediately behind the concrete curb as well as utilize retaining wall or boardwalk to further reduce wetland and lake impacts. It is anticipated that narrowing the separation below the minimum requirement in order to reduce impacts to lakes and wetlands would be permitted by state or federal agencies if funding was proposed through those agencies. The addition of concrete curb and gutter along sections that do not meet the minimum separation standards is recommended to provide additional safety by better delineating the trail from the roadway. Also, it is recommended that the trail alignment be continuous on either side of the roadway not shifting from side to side in order to reduce the possibility of pedestrian / vehicle conflicts. Figures 3 to 14 in Appendix A illustrate the recommendations for locating the trail along the west and east sides of the roadway. The figures are color coded to clearly represent the various trail section configurations through the corridor for both alternatives. Table 2 below provides a summary of the trail recommendations for both alternatives. Table 2 of Trail Recommendations Rura1 Sectiod Location With Minimum Separation Urban Section Minimum Additional Curb With Minimum Construction Separation Separation Not Met Safety Retaining Board- Railing Wall walk West Side 6,830 ft 3,970 ft 6,390 ft 4,570 ft 3,120 ft l 1,410 ft2 530 ft East Side 8,070 ft 2,340 ft 4,790 ft 5,560 ft 3,430 ft 17,130 ftZ 0 ft The topography of the corridor on both sides of the roadway will present a number of challenges that will have some impacts that cannot be quantified until a full topographic survey has been completed and the final design phase of the project begins. These impacts include driveways, steep slopes, gardens, landscaping, lakes, and wetlands. During final design it will be necessary to identify these areas and use retaining wall and boardwalk to minimize the impacts. Any boardwalk used will need to be structurally designed to accommodate a City vehicle for snow removal. Old Snelling Avenue / Old Highway 10 Trail Study, City of Arden Hills BMI ProjectNo. T16.100325 Page 5