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I-694 NON-MOTORIZED CROSSING STUDY PAGE 16 represents a proposed regional trail that does not have an approved master plan or specific trail alignment. In addition to regional trails, cities and Ramsey County have provided a growing network of local trails within parks and along roadways. On-street bikeways in the form of shoulders, bike lanes, and signed bike routes provide mobility for bicyclists who are comfortable riding in mixed traffic. The network of existing trails and bikeways is shown in Figure 6. The study area is characterized primarily by post World War II suburban style development that trended away from providing sidewalks on local streets. In recent years, local governments have been retrofitting streets to include the addition of sidewalks and trails as opportunities allow with road reconstruction projects or with new development and redevelopment. Many cities in the area now have sidewalk requirements in their subdivision and zoning ordinances. These trends have led to improved sidewalk connectivity in the area, though gaps still remain. EXISTING CROSSINGS OF I-694 The study evaluated 16 existing crossings of I-694 where pedestrian and bicycle access is allowed (non freeway crossings of I-694) as well as two additional locations that were identified by the study work group as potential future crossings. One of the potential future crossings is still an active freight rail line and highly unlikely to be abandoned in the near future (crossing 11, St. Anthony Railroad). Table 1 provides a summary of each crossing location noting the presence of pedestrian and/or bicycle facilities, traffic volumes, network connections and future plans. A short description of each crossing (in order of west to east) is included after the table. Silver Lake Road Silver Lake Road is a County State Aid Highway (CSAH 44) located in the City of New Brighton. The roadway carries 12,700 vehicles per day near I-694 and also serves as a Metro Transit bus route. There is also a Park-and-ride located south of I-694 at 5th Street NW. Land uses along Silver Lake Road primarily consist of single family residential with a retail node immediately north of I-694 and a middle school to the south. The crossing of I-694 includes an 8-foot sidewalk on the east side of the bridge, which was added in 2008 using Safe Routes to School funds that the City obtained through a competitive grant. Sidewalk is consistently provided along the east side of the roadway through the study area and beyond. There are no designated bicycle facilities or shoulders currently on this corridor, though the City of New Brighton has identified a future shared use path for Silver Lake Road in its Comprehensive Plan. Long Lake Road Long Lake Road (CSAH 45) runs north and south through New Brighton, turning into an east/west local street just south of I-694. The roadway carries approximately 6,700 vehicles per day near the I-694 crossing and is not a transit route. The bridge over I-694 has a 6-foot sidewalk on the east side of the roadway. The bridge has bikeable shoulders that connect to a bike lane north of I-694. The bike lane continues north through to the city limits, connecting to the Rice Creek West Regional Trail. Other destinations along the bike route include Long Lake, Irondale High school, and residential neighborhoods. South of I-694, Long Lake Road leads to community