8.1 PRSR 09-08-2021 - Laserfiche WebLink

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DRAFT FOR REVIEW ONLY Foster Connections and Close Gaps Elk River is home to over 47 miles of continuous trails throughout the City. Of these trails, 16 miles are paved and 25 miles are natural surface hiking trails in parks. The City also has eight miles of unpaved mountain bike trails. While many residents do not live far from trails in the City there are barriers and gaps in the trial network that limit access. The Trails Master Plan illustrates a comprehensive trail network that ties together neighborhoods, schools, and existing parks and trails as well as easements. Implemen- tation of this Plan is key in providing pedestrian and bike connections across the City. The City should be incremen- tally constructing segments of recommended Trails Master Plan routes as public infrastructure improvements are executed in the right-of-way and future developments are proposed. Further, the City should also explore state and federal funding opportunities for trails and pathways to help finance these types of projects when not easily incor- porated into Public Works infrastructure improvements. Remove Barriers to Trail and Parks Highway 169 is a notorious barrier between the east and west of the City, often forcing many residents to drive rather than walk or bike to access the Great Northern Trail. The planned Redefine 169 project will incorporate separated grade traffic at its east-west connections and sidewalks. These east-west crossings should be designed to complete streets standards to make them welcoming to pedestrians and bikes. In addition, the BNSF railroad also cuts off many residents’ access to parks and trails in the community. The addition of a separated grade crossing over the tracks in the south west of the City near Meadowvale Park should also be considered in any future Highway 10 studies, more on the impact of mobility across Highway 10 is included in the Transportation & Mobility chapter. Expand Waterfront Connections The Elk River, Mississippi River, and Lake Orono are major water recreation resources in the community. The City should foster greater connection to these water bodies through a waterfront trail and park system that connects the Mississippi River Trail to the Downtown Rivers Edge Commons Park and beyond to Lake Orono and the Great Northern Trail. The creation of an easement along the Mississippi River would provide continuous public access to the water and help create a riparian buffer that would protect native habitats and preserve wetlands and flood- plain areas along the river from development. 112 Parks, Open Space & Natural Resources Plan • Elk River Comprehensive Plan