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<br /> . <br /> V. JUSTIFICATION <br /> A. Service Area <br /> The trail corridor has a geographic service area that radiates two to three <br /> miles outward from the linear corridor which includes the cities of Arden Hills, <br /> Circle Pines, Lexington, Mounds View, New Brighton, Shoreview, Spring <br /> Lake Park, the southeast corner of Blaine and southwest corner of Lino <br /> Lakes. The service area, which incorporates municipalities in Anoka County <br /> and Ramsey County, has an approximate population of 82,000 based on <br /> 1990 census totals. <br /> B. Relation to Other Trail Corridors <br /> The Rice Creek North Regional Trail Corridor (Anoka and Ramsey County <br /> sections) connects the Rice Creek-Chain of Lakes Regional Park Reserve <br /> and Long Lake Regional Park sites, and interconnects with the internal <br /> network of trails within the regional sites. The regional trail corridor <br /> intersects with local off-road bike paths: 1) east-west path on the south side <br /> of County Road J from Ware Avenue to Interstate Highway 35W; 2) north- <br /> south path on the west side of Lexington Avenue from County Road J to <br /> . County Road B-2; 3) east-west path on the north side of County Road I from <br /> Hodgson Road to Silver Lake Road; and, 4) north-south path on the west <br /> side of Long Lake Road from County Road J to Interstate Highway 694. <br /> C. Needs Served <br /> The 1990-1994 Minnesota Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation <br /> Plan notes that trail recreation is becoming increasingly important. <br /> Increased interest in trail recreation is related to the fact that it is a form of <br /> exercise suitable for people of all ages and all levels of physical conditioning, <br /> can be carried out by families, groups or individuals and is usually available <br /> close to home. <br /> As a result of the review and analysis of the following data sources, the <br /> Metropolitan Council has determined that there is a general deficiency of <br /> recreational trails within the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area: <br /> 1, area-wide acreage standards, <br /> 2. user study of Metropolitan Area parks <br /> 3. population projections for the Metropolitan Area through 1990, <br /> 4. participation rates and trends of the metropolitan population in selected <br /> activities, and <br /> . 5. location analysis of existing and needed parks. <br /> V-l <br /> --- ------ ---- <br />