Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Regional Trails topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Three Rivers Park District outlines Bryant Lake and Eagle Lake regional trails for Minnetonka, cites federal grants and 2027–28 construction window
Summary
Three Rivers Park District project managers presented a two‑part north–south regional trail through Minnetonka, saying the district secured $5.5 million for Bryant Lake and $3.1 million for Eagle Lake, with design in 2025 and construction targeted for 2027–28. Staff flagged easements, environmental reviews and cooperative agreements as next steps.
Three Rivers Park District staff told the Minnetonka Park Board that two linked regional trails—the Eagle Lake Regional Trail to the north and the Bryant Lake Regional Trail to the south—will form a single north–south corridor through four communities and total about 16 miles.
"The park district was awarded 5 and a half million dollars of federal grant for the Bryant Lake project and $3,100,000 for the Eagle Lake Regional Trail project," Blake Hanson, project manager at Three Rivers Park District, told board members. Hanson said engineering began in 2025 and that construction is tentatively scheduled for 2027–2028.
The presentation divided responsibilities and design work: Josh Bovee, senior manager of engineering, said the district aims to minimize property impacts by narrowing travel lanes and using retaining walls where necessary. "We're gonna narrow up the shoulders, narrow up drive lanes so we can get the regional trail placed within the right of way, and try to minimize the amount of temporary and permanent easements we may need," Bovee said. He added the project expects about 70 temporary construction easements along the Bryant Lake alignment to achieve smooth transitions between trail and adjacent private property.
Design details differ by segment. For the Bryant Lake section the district plans a 10‑foot paved trail, reconstructed in places where an 8‑foot trail exists today. Along Baker Road (County Road 60) the curb line would be moved to accommodate a 10‑foot trail with a small boulevard or, in constrained places, a back‑of‑curb 12‑foot paved surface allowing a 10‑foot trail and paved shoulder.
At Trunk Highway 7 the district described a concrete barrier separating the trail from travel lanes to create a protected crossing. Bovee said the bridge crossing will not include an overpass and will remain at street level, adding the district will coordinate with county roadway projects so intersection work happens in the fewest construction seasons possible.
Hanson said the district will return to the city with a cooperative trail agreement in 2026 to establish property‑rights, design, construction, operation and maintenance responsibilities and any immediate city‑led projects that could affect the trail. He also noted environmental steps: work will avoid disturbance during long‑eared bat sensitive periods and other natural resource constraints.
Board members asked about eminent domain; Bovee said the district hopes to negotiate with property owners and "we're hopeful that everybody is just willing to work with us on this project," while acknowledging the district has used condemnation in the past on other projects.
No formal action was requested or taken; the presentation was informational and staff said further public engagement (open houses and notices) and agreement documents will follow.
What happens next: the district plans to complete design in 2025–2026, present cooperative agreements in 2026 and move to construction bids in early 2027, with multi‑year construction where applicable.
