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Arden Hills asks state to fund final segment of Old Highway 10 trail serving schools and manufactured-home community
Summary
The city of Arden Hills requested state capital funds to build a pedestrian and bicycle trail along Old Highway 10 to improve safety and complete a regional connection used by students and residents; the city and Ramsey County described local matches and prior grant awards but requested state funding to finish the segment.
City officials from Arden Hills told the Capital Investment Committee that a 1.25-mile stretch of Old Highway 10 lacks a pedestrian trail and presents a safety hazard for students walking and biking to area schools and Bethel University.
Council member Emily Russo said the project would connect County Highway 96 to Lake Valentine Road and link into the North Metro Regional Trail System. She told the committee the city has engineering plans and is shovel ready but needs capital funding; she said the city's general fund expenditure budget is approximately $6,700,000 and that the city is requesting $1.65 million from the state as its share for the segment, while Ramsey County had committed $700,000 and the city had been awarded $1,000,000 through the Metropolitan Council Safe Routes to School program.
Testimony emphasized student safety: speakers noted pedestrians and bicyclists currently use a narrow dirt shoulder adjacent to 45 mph traffic and that many nearby students are newly licensed teen drivers. Presenters said the trail would also serve a nearby manufactured-home community and complete a long-term regional trail plan.
Committee members did not take a formal vote on the request during the hearing. Testimony noted the project can be locally matched and that design and specifications are complete.
