Item 6A. Resolution in Support of State Bonding Request for the Regional Trail Network
Superintendent's Recommendation:
- ROLL CALL VOTE REQUIRED -
MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. 23-10, A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF A STATE BONDING REQUEST FOR THE GREATER MINNEAPOLIS ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION NETWORK: PHASE 1 REGIONAL TRAIL NETWORK SAFETY, STEWARDSHIP AND EXPANSION PROJECT.
The following information was prepared by Jason McGrew-King and Jonathan Vlaming.
Background:
The Minnesota Office of Management and Budget (MMB) released a call for 2024 State Bonding Projects this summer. State bonding can provide up to 50 percent of the total project cost. During the last call (2022) for State Bond Projects, Staff and the Board discussed and approved a resolution in support of a comprehensive grant that covers all of the known regional trail projects found in the CIP. The 2022 request was not successful. This new request is similar to the first request, but with updated regional trail projects as now found in the CIP.
The application recognizes that the Three Rivers’ Regional Trail Network serves dual roles – both as a recreational amenity and as the arterial non-motorized transportation network, and that funding of an arterial transportation network is beyond the scope, mission and ability of a natural-resources based park agency.
As proposed in the application, the project improves over 52 miles of the active transportation network through construction of 10.7 miles of new regional trails, reconstruction of 11.4 miles of existing regional trails, life-extension treatments of 30.2 miles of trails, and features that make the off-road regional trail system safe, comfortable and accessible for all regardless of skill and ability.
The application proposes State funding of up to $24.4 million, or fifty percent of the total combined costs of all projects related to the regional trail network. These funds could be used to augment already secured federal grants, serving as the local match to federal funding. In addition, they could replace tentatively scheduled use of Legacy, City of Golden Valley, Hennepin County and Three Rivers funds. The final award is entirely scalable to the Park District’s planned trail projects.
A requirement of the application is a resolution of support from the governing body making the request (Reference 6A-1).
Relationship to the System Plan
The Request for Action supports the following goals(s) of the System Plan:
- Goal 1: You Belong Here
- Goal 2: Parks Matter
- Goal 3: Lead by Example
