2014-04-02 P & R Set Agenda - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Teresa Bender From: Pat Branch Sent: Thursday, February 27, 2014 4:07 PM To: Dallas Larson; Teresa Bender Cc: Steve King; Suzanne Seeley (skseeley @yahoo.com); Jon Grahek; Tom Wilharber Subject: Re: Chain of Lakes -Bald Eagle Master Plan Attachments: pastedGraphic.pdf, ATT00001.htm Dallas, I have read the proposed plan for the new Chain of Lakes - Bald Eagle Trail and I do have comments. 1) Where was this proposed plan when the County and the City were wrestling with the plans to resurface Centerville Road? Knowledge of this plan may have greatly reduced the opposition to the County's concept for rebuilding Centerville Road. With this plan, the extension of the trail pass Dupre to Birch makes sense. Without considering this plan, that extension was not logical and ended up out of the Centerville Road reconstruction plans - 2) Jon, At the P &R March meeting ask one of the Committee Members to attend the public hearing on March 25 at Centerville City Hall. Kevin A or Suzanne would be good candidates. 3) 1 strongly recommend that the City of Centerville support this plan. With or without the changes suggested in the next paragraphs. It makes good sense to link the Anoka and Ramsey County trail systems. The proposed trail will: a) Provide a safe and easy bicycle link between Anoka County's Wargo nature center and Ramsey County's Tamarac nature center. b) Provide a bicycle and pedestrian link between Centerville, Lino Lakes and White Bear. 1. HOWEVER - There are two alternate routes that should be considered. First Alternate Route The Anoka County plan acknowledges and shows Lino Lakes intention to build the Birch Park complex on the southeast corner of Birch St. and Centerville Road. Lino Lakes owns the land but does not have the funding to build Birch Park. My first suggestion is that the new county trail should go through the proposed Lino Lakes Birch park following the route proposed by the Lino Lakes planners. There are five advantages: 1. Save the City of Lino Lakes the cost of developing that section of trail. 2. The County's new trail would give the City of Lino Lakes a boost in getting Birch Park started. I believe, Lino Lakes' intention is to build Birch Park incrementally. This would be a great first increment. 3. The eastern edge of Anoka County (Centerville and Lino Lakes) needs additional fields for sports like soccer, youth football and la cross. This is a current need that will only grow as the communities grow. Opening up Birch park with a trail and trail head would quickly lead to the development of those fields. 4. This alternative route would save Anoka County as much as $200,000 as the county would not have to acquire the right way for the new trail. The right of way is already publicly owned by the City of Lino Lakes. 5. The alternative trail location would go through open park land and around Lake Amelia; rather than along the side of the very busy Centerville Road. This would be a much more pleasant ride or walk. A. Second Alternate Route Another logical route for the Chain of Lakes - Bald Eagle Trail is to follow the St Paul Waterworks line south from Centerville to Ash Street. This segment of the trail could tie into the existing Chain of Lakes trail south of Centerville's LaMotte Park. This route would require the cooperation of the St Paul Water Department. However, they may find it an advantage to provide Anoka County a trail easement. The County would them be responsible for maintain the right of way. The water departments access to that segment via the new trail would be easier than it current is. The advantages are similar to the first alternative route: 1. There should be significant cost savings to Anoka County. The County's current plan estimates the cost of buying the required property at over $200,000. The St Paul Water Department should be expected to grant a trail easement for little or no cost. 2. This second alternate route is a straight line from an existing trail to Ash Street. Additional savings should be realized by building a shorter route on an already prepared bed. 3. As with the first alternate route, this course would be a much more pleasant ride or walk than along Centerville Road. On the next page is an illustration used in the Anoka County plan. I have overlaid my two alternative routes on their illustration. 1