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I-694 NON-MOTORIZED CROSSING STUDY PAGE 22 Most Commented Crossing: Rice Street had the most surveys completed (7). The crossing was generally noted as unsafe due to high traffic levels, lack of dedicated bike lanes/shoulders or sidewalks, and debris on the bridge. Most people who completed a survey about this crossing identified themselves as “road” bicyclists over “trail” bicyclists and recommended on-street shoulders/bike lanes as a suggestion to improve safety of this crossing. East/West Connecting Routes: County Roads E, F, and D were noted as frequent East/West routes that are used to access the I-694 crossings. I-35W at Highway 96 was noted by many participants as a significant barrier to east/ west mobility. Highway 96 was generally viewed as bikeable, except for notable gaps between TH 10 and I-35W. Potential New Crossings: Crossings at Trout Brook Regional Trail and the St. Anthony RR were both noted as favorable. The proposed Trout Brook Regional Trail crossing was noted as a good alternative to Rice Street by some, but others indicated that this was not a substitute. Two people identified a crossing of TH 10 at Old 10/Old Snelling as a potential substitute for TH 51. This would require a new pedestrian/bicycle bridge as well as a trail along Old 10/Old Snelling to get across I-694. PLANNED IMPROVEMENTS Comprehensive plans for the communities within the study area show that local governments and Ramsey County have long-range plans to fully develop the pedestrian and bicycle network within the study area (Figure 7). The Metropolitan Council has also identified regional trail corridors as well as priorities for regional bicycle transportation (Regional Bicycle Transportation Network or RBTN). However, the estimated timing for these pedestrian and bicycle improvements can be uncertain because funding often relies on competitive grants or when opportunities arise through roadway projects or private development. A key objective of this study is to identify improvements that can improve pedestrian and bicycle mobility across I-694 by building upon existing facilities, near-term projects, and local and regional plans. Information on near-term projects and planned investments was collected from a variety of sources including MnDOT’s four-year State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP), the MnDOT Metro District 10-Year Capital Highway Work Plan, Ramsey County planned roadway improvements (public works), Ramsey County planned trail improvements (parks and recreation), and local government plans and projects. The known project commitments (as of 2015) are illustrated in Figures 8-10 and described in the corresponding text as “near-term” improvements. These projects have firm funding commitments and a timeline or implementation. Additional long-term recommendations have been identified and called out separately because they do not have dedicated funds for implementation, a commitment by the lead agency, or a timeframe for implementation. These long-term recommendations are identified as priorities for planning and implementation in the study area because they strategically fill network gaps and make connections to existing and planned pedestrian and bicycle facilities. Consideration was also given to corridors that are regional priorities as documented in either the Met Council’s Transportation Policy Plan or the Regional Parks Policy Plan. Analysis to determine exact locations, facility types, and feasibility for the recommended additional needs is beyond the scope of this study and is recommended as a next step for implementing agencies. The near-term projects and long-term recommendations are grouped into three geographic sub areas of the study to illustrate the spatial relationship among the projects at a manageable scale. The west area includes Silver Lake Road to Lexington Avenue and includes the communities of New Brighton and Arden Hills. The central area includes