GMR allows proposed multi-use trail to run along school grounds
This photo depicts the map of the proposed multi-use trail in Greenbush. The red portion highlights phase one of the project and the blue portion highlights phase two. Greenbush City Clerk Anita Locken presented this project to the GMR School Board, as the city required permission from the school to potentially run a portion of phase one of this proposed trail along the perimeter and existing easement(s) bordering the GMR School campus. The school board granted this permission at its January 13 meeting. (submitted photo)
The Greenbush-Middle River School Board provided unanimous support at its January 13 meeting to give the City of Greenbush permission to do construction on a proposed multi-use trail on the perimeter and existing easment(s) bordering the school campus.
City of Greenbush Clerk Anita Locken presented information, including a concept map of the proposed multi-use trail system. Phase one of this proposed trail would start at the Welcome Park, eventually run along the perimeter of the school property just beyond the softball fields, and end at Old Ridge Road on a corner near the LifeCare Greenbush Manor.
“There’s no downside to something like this. It’s going to be a great addition to the community and it’s also going to be beneficial for our school, kids,” Greenbush-Middle River Superintendent Larry Guggisberg said. “For example, the trail is supposed to end up at LifeCare Medical Center (in Greenbush), and we have a number of kids that are junior volunteers that can just walk on the trail right to LifeCare.”
According to the latest engineer estimates, part one of this bituminous trail would cost $441,536.74 According to the City of Greenbush’ trail plan—presented to the board— phase one, scheduled to be completed in 2024, would “tie into the pedestrian and bicycle facilities along the State Hwy 11 corridor in relation to the upcoming highway improvement project. It also will tie into the Main Street enhancements that support walking or bicycling.”
The second phase of this project, which wouldn’t impact school property, runs down Old Ridge Road almost all the way to Highway 11. The second phase of this project would cost $266,087.78, according to engineer estimates.
As review, the city received approval to move one step closer— to the full application— for Minnesota Department of Transportation (MN DOT) grant funding for its potential multi-use trail project.
This full application was due on January 3 to the MN DOT. City representatives, including Locken and the city engineer, will meet, along with a number of other cities and their representatives, with MN DOT representatives at an April 15, 2020 meeting to present their project. After that, MN DOT chooses who to award the grant dollars to.
If approved, the city would receive this grant funding for the year 2024 and it would cover up to 80 percent of the construction costs of the project. It would not cover any engineering costs. The city is eligible to receive $254,738 in grant dollars for this project.
As Greenbush Mayor Brenda Sather explained at an October 21, 2019 meeting, the city would not take on this project, unless it received grant funding.
To see the city’s complete plan for this proposed trail, visit the following link: https://v3.boardbook.org/Public/PublicItemDownload.aspx?ik=45760896 .
To see more from the GMR School Board meeting, read the January 22 issue of The Tribune in print or online. Note: A continued portion of the article that ran in this print and online issue was mistakenly omitted. The rest of the article will run in next week’s issue. We apologize for this error.
