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WILL VICTORIA TRAILS CONNECT

TO THE UNDERPASS AT THE ARBORETUM?

         Although it seemed to have been in the  making for some time, the trail connection between Rolling Acres Road in Victoria and the Arboretum was put on hold at the February 25th city council meeting. 

         In October of 2011, council authorized staff to apply for a Trail Connectivity Grant from the DNR that would help construct a paved trail from the east side of Rolling Acres Road, then along the north side of Hwy 5 heading east toward the Arboretum and the new Hwy 5 underpass constructed in 2012.

         The new trail connections would also increase access to the Lake Minnetonka Regional Trail that intersects Rolling Acres Road and Park Drive and leads directly to downtown Victoria.

         In January 2013 the city was notified that Victoria was awarded $150,000 in grant funds for connecting the trails.  Total estimated cost of the trail is $260,000, however, and that was the issue on February 25th -- where the remainder of the trail cost would come from.

         Stated Councilmember Jim Crowley, "My concern is that we've got $150,000 to spend but we need more money to spend that we don't have ... We need to provide more metrics.  It's important to know how many house are affected, how many people are affected ... We need the data."

         Said Councilmember Tom Strigel, "If this is a priority, then where is it in the budget?  ... It's the lack of planning and budgeting that troubles me, not the desirability of the project ...  If trails are a priority, and they remain a priority, we need to establish a funding source."

         Said Mayor Tom O'Connor, "We don't have a pot of money to pay for trails ... Where would we get the money? ... It would be a safe and convenient way for our cities to access the Arboretum ... Where does this trail fit into priorities? ... How about the Lakebridge Trail?  Have we got the money for that one? ... We don't have a trail funding source."

         Said City Manager Don Uram, "Isn't that always going to be a question with trails?  Historically, developers pay for them, but there are various connections to be made [between developments].  The investment with the Hwy 5 construction project and the underpass were all part of this."

         He said the cost of connecting the trails in this area were going to be rolled into the cost of the Hwy 5 project and be paid for through the same bonding.

         Asked Councilmember Joe Pavelko, "Has the Arboretum been asked to help kick in some of the cost?  Will people have to pay to enter the Arboretum from the trail?"  He said if bikers have to pay to get into the Arboretum, then the Arboretum should have to help pay for the trail to get the bikers into the Arboretum.

         "Maybe we could negotiate something with the Arboretum," he said, also asking if Holly Kreft could get a one-year extension on completing the project.

         Stated Councilmember Lani Basa, "Also keep in mind, this trail can lead people to come into downtown Victoria to our businesses."

         Holly said that if the project isn't completed by June 2014, the grant money won't be awarded.  Extensions are not likely.  "This is the second time we've applied," she said.  "The first time we weren't successful."  It was noted that turning down grant money after it is successfully applied for, would not sit well for future efforts in getting grants.

        

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March 2013
Text Box: The Scoop at City Hall

This Hwy 5 underpass was constructed by MnDOT last summer as part of the Hwy 5 improvement project through the City of Victoria.  It is located at the intersection of Hwy 5 and Minnewashta Parkway.  Most of Victoria's trails don't connect to it.