Regional trails planner urges pipeline of local projects to connect Casey Jones and other corridors

Chris Webb, a transportation planner with the Southwest Regional Development Commission, briefed the county board on the Southwest Minnesota Regional Trails Plan and next steps toward a connected regional network.

Webb said the federal grant-funded planning effort included 25 interviews and focus groups across nine counties and used corridor scoring criteria (deliverability, community support, etc.) to prioritize linkages. Two corridors scored highest: a Jackson–Okoboji corridor and a corridor associated with the Casey Jones State Trail that would extend from Luverne through Pipestone toward Lake Shetek and Redwood Falls. Webb emphasized the plan’s goal to coordinate stakeholders and pursue regional designation where feasible.

The plan also deployed trail counters in 2023; Webb reported that La Verne and Okabeena-area loops and the Camden Regional Trail recorded the highest average daily counts (more than 100 users/day in several locations). A tourism spending survey (transcript reports ~203 responses) estimated residents spend roughly $125.80 per trip while visitors spend about $216.90 per trip, with lodging concentrated in campgrounds and short-term rentals.

Webb said the stakeholder group would meet the following day to review the full 100+ page report and that the plan will be mailed to commissioners. Board members asked about routing alternatives, surfacing expectations (federal grants generally require paved surfaces and long-term maintenance expectations), ebike use and property-rights constraints on rail-rights conversions. Webb recommended continued local engagement to translate corridors into specific projects and grant applications.