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Forest Lake council pauses Greenway-to-230th trail work, approves narrower lanes and safety features for remaining stretch
Summary
The Forest Lake City Council voted to remove the Greenway–230th section from this year’s North Shore Trail scope and approved a final design approach for the remainder of the corridor: 11-foot travel lanes, 4-foot paved shoulders, wider 6-inch fog lines and solar-powered speed signs.
Forest Lake City Council on a split motion agreed to pause planning and construction for the North Shore Trail segment between Greenway Avenue and 230th Street while approving design standards for the remaining portion from 230th Street to Highway 97.
The pause and the design direction came during a lengthy staff presentation and council discussion about lane widths, shoulder widths, crown, striping and safety features. Ryan (city staff) recommended 11-foot travel lanes with 4-foot paved shoulders and keeping the road crown centered; the council approved that recommendation, the use of 6-inch fog lines and installation of solar-powered speed limit signs.
Ryan, the city’s presenter, said the recommendation balances safety for bicyclists and pedestrians and vehicle operations: "I would do the 11 foot Lanes with the 4 foot shoulder option, maintaining the center crown where it is today..." He told the council an 11-foot lane plus a 4-foot shoulder meets minimum shoulder-width guidance and can provide some traffic-calming benefits compared with the current 12-foot lanes.
Council members debated the longer Greenway–230th segment separately. Multiple council members said the one-mile stretch would be expensive, pose right-of-way and tree-removal issues and may be premature until adjacent neighborhoods develop. Councilmember Kevin (identified in discussion as raising concerns about cost and connectability) suggested pausing that portion to allow additional study and grant exploration.
A motion to remove the Greenway–230th segment from this year’s scope and revisit it with the next related project passed with council approval. A second motion to adopt the remaining corridor design — 11-foot lanes, 4-foot paved shoulders, 6-inch epoxy fog lines and four additional solar-powered speed signs (two eastbound, two westbound) — also passed.
The council and staff discussed related trade-offs: narrower lanes (10–11 feet) can slow traffic but may create operational constraints for large service vehicles; offsetting the roadway crown can shift shoulder widths but can increase long-term pavement distress and snowplow complexity. Ryan noted state and federal design references used in the analysis, including MnDOT and FHWA guidance, and explained that the city is not using state aid dollars and therefore has some flexibility but still follows recognized safety standards.
The council also asked staff to continue community engagement, refine cost estimates and pursue grant opportunities for the paused segment; staff noted that linking the trail to regional routes could strengthen grant applications. The council directed staff to return with final bid-ready documents consistent with the approved lane, striping and sign options.
Votes at a glance: The council voted to remove the Greenway–230th segment from this year’s scope (motion passed) and separately approved the option that sets 11-foot travel lanes with 4-foot paved shoulders, 6-inch fog line striping and four solar-powered speed limit signs for 230th Street to Highway 97 (motion passed).
