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After the plan is reviewed by the Parks and Recreation Commission, it will be presented <br /> to White Bear Township and the Rice Creek Watershed District for formal review. The <br /> plans will also be submitted to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources for <br /> review. The project is funded through a Legacy Grant awarded to Ramsey County. <br /> Mr. Straumann moved, seconded by Ms. Falkowski, to recommend the proposed plan <br /> for approval. Motion carried. <br /> REVIEW OF THE PREFERRED LOWER AFTON TRAIL ALIGNMENT <br /> Mr. Yonke reported that the trail project is funded first through Mn/DOT/Metropolitan <br /> Council using transportation funds for enhancement projects. Cost of the trail extension <br /> is approximately $720,000. The project also will be funded with a Legacy Grant <br /> appropriation in the amount of$450,000. RLK is the consultant on the project. <br /> Mr. John Dietrich from RLK presented the details of the project. The trail extension <br /> creates connections to existing trails. It will be 12 feet wide with 2 foot shoulders. Parts <br /> of the trail will run through wooded areas enhancing the trail experience. Other <br /> segments will be adjacent to Lower Afton Road. There will be some retaining walls <br /> where necessary and those walls will be terraced as much as possible to allow for <br /> landscape plantings. The trail will be well away from the concrete storm water flume <br /> along Lower Afton Road. The trail will be wide enough to accommodate bikers and <br /> walkers simultaneously. Because the trail is federally funded, there are more <br /> requirements to meet as far as sightlines, slope and width. There will be stop signs at <br /> the intersections of the trail at Battle Creek Road and Winthrop Street. Mn/DOT <br /> regulations dictate where the road and trail crossings will be. Guardrails are necessary <br /> in areas where the trail is less than 25 feet from the road. RLK met with the Ramsey <br /> Washington Watershed District about installing box culverts in two locations for <br /> drainage. Use of box culverts is acceptable to the Watershed District. There was also <br /> a public meeting with the District 1 Council to present the overall preferred plan. District <br /> Council 1 approved the plan. Many of the components of the trail will be constructed <br /> using recycled products. There will be some tree removal (approximately 80) to <br /> accommodate the trail. <br /> Mr. Ditmore moved, seconded by Mr. Straumann, to recommend the proposed plan for <br /> approval. Motion carried. <br /> REVIEW OF BENCH LOCATIONS FOR "PATHWAYS TO HEALTH" ON RAMSEY <br /> COUNTY PARKS AND TRAILS <br /> The 1,000 Benches Program, created by Active Living Ramsey Communities! and the <br /> Ramsey County Board of Commissioners, was brought before the Board for approval in <br /> 2007. It is a cooperative program between Ramsey County and the municipalities <br /> within Ramsey County. The program intended to place benches in strategic locations <br /> along trails to assist more people getting out and walking. The program was redesigned <br /> in 2010. Under the redesigned program, benches will be placed on smaller slabs and <br /> the active living messages will be on the backs of the benches rather than on pavers on <br /> larger slabs that were a component of the original program. Up to 300 benches could <br /> be installed in Ramsey County park areas. Ramsey County will provide the slab and <br /> 2 <br />