Last night at the Lynnhurst Recreation Center the Minneapolis Park Board presented their latest iteration of the proposed improvements to the Minnehaha Parkway Trail.
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The current proposal for trail improvement at Lyndale Avenue and Minnehaha Creek was presented by Jon Duesman, Park Board Project Manager, and Jason Aune, consultant, to an audience of 10 people attending the meeting. Due to budget constraints, the project will be phased over the next few years:
- Phase 1 - 2016 - Construct multi-use trail on west side of Lyndale Avenue bridge and improve pedestrian and bike crossing at Lyndale and West Minnehaha Parkway intersection (Metropolitan Council funds - $550,000. Must be expended in 2016-17).
- Phase 2 - 2018-19 - Construct multi-use trail and boardwalk (due to steep slope and floodplain concerns) on the east side of Lyndale Avenue bridge (Park Board capital budget funds - $2.65 million allocated for 8 miles of trail improvements from Lake Harriet to Lake Nokomis).
When completed, bicycle traffic will be able to travel along the creek and under the Lyndale Avenue bridge on a shared use trail. However, this lower trail will not be plowed during winter months, following current Park Board maintenance practices.
Members of the audience asked numerous questions and seemed to agree with this Minnehaha Creek trail improvement project to accommodate and improve pedestrian and bicycle traffic and safety within the regional trail system.
You can read more about the project (and see a larger version of the map) on the Park Board website.
