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<br />Date: February 25, 2004 <br /> <br />To: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources <br /> <br />Subject: Support for Clearwater Trail Connection Project <br /> <br />As a resident of Centerville I would like the to department to know of my <br />interest and support in improving our trail system for residents and visitors to our <br />city. Specifically, I am interested in seeing the Clearwater Trail Project become a <br />reality for a variety of reasons. <br /> <br />I myself am an avid biker and have chosen to live in Centerville for its <br />great access to much of the northern Twin Cities features. I regularly use the <br />Sunrise Prairie/Hardwood Creek trail from Hugo and the Gateway trail to our <br />south. I have recently visited the Root River trail system in Harmony and am <br />looking forward to the new trails along the north shore. I enjoy my rides to work <br />in Fridley where I can cut thru the Rice Creek Park trail system, free from being <br />on the defense to the fellow vehicles I am sharing the road with. I regularly take <br />extended camping trips on my bike via the excellent trail system we have in the <br />state of Minnesota. My last trip took me from my home in Centerville to . <br />Gooseberry Falls Park on the north shore. As for my wife, Pamela, she regularly <br />enjoys running throughout our city. She trains by running the city streets for a <br />variety of shorter running events held in the metropolitan area. I see this trail as <br />an enormous addition to the current trail system in this state and as an attraction <br />to both visitors and residents of Centerville. <br /> <br />I currently live on the corner of Main and Brian Drive and one of the things <br />keeping me in this city as a resident is the prospect of someday living near the <br />head of a 25+ mile trail. With the looming road widening, increased traffic and <br />noise, I have been quietly shopping for a new home for close to a year now. As I <br />have repeatedly expressed to my friends, if I had the ability to connect to the <br />head of the Hardwood Creek trail from my city, I would be willing to put up with <br />any related road widening personal inconveniences and stay in this city. For me <br />the bottom line is this, if this trail connection becomes a reality I want to live in <br />this city, without it I will probably continue looking for something better suited to <br />my needs. <br /> <br />I also have the unique vantage of watching the multitude of pelotons that <br />glide thru our city throughout the summer days. From my kitchen table I regularly <br />jump up to watch the riders pass by, jealously admiring each person's technique <br />and equipment, giving a wave whenever I can; wishing that I was instead drafting <br />them on my own bicycle. I also watch the carelessness of the drivers along this <br />very road, passing those vehicles waiting to make a left onto Brian Drive on the <br />shoulder. I have seen the concern in our local police force by observing them <br />pull over people that have engaged in this very action. I fear the day that one of <br />my fellow neighbors would be on that very shoulder as a person chooses to use <br /> <br />41 <br />