HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015 12-14 DNR will plow Gateway, Browns Creek trails after all, reversing earlier decision STAR TRIBUNE DNR will plow Gateway, Browns Creek trails after all, reversing e
EAST METRO
DNR will plow Gateway, Browns Creek
trails after all, reversing earlier decision
Cities and Gateway trail users had protested,saying the initial
decision had surprised them.
By Kevin Giles(http://www.startribune.com/kavin-gilas/30644901/)Star Tribune
DECEMBER 14,2015—7:21PM
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has reversed its controversial decision
to leave the paved Gateway and Brown's Creek state trails buried under snow this
winter.
"We're going to be plowing the trail,working with the local communities along the trail
to come up with a more long-term sustainable plan,hopefully a partnership with the
communities,"Phil Leversedge,deputy director of the DNR's parks and trails division,
said Monday.
DNR representatives met on Monday with mayors and city administrators of some of
those cities,he said.
The Gateway State Trail,one of Minnesota's busiest,stretches from St.Paul to Pine
Point Reaonal Park in northern Washington County.The DNR plows 12 miles of the
trail from St.Paul and grooms the upper 6 miles for slding.
The state's newest trail,Brown's Creek,connects with the Gateway in the city of Grant in
Washington County in a G-mile link to downtown Stillwater.Brown's Creek opened last
year on the rail corridor the Minnesota Zephyr dinner train once used.
City and county leaders and trail associations said they were caught by surprise when
the DNR decided to the leave the trails unplowed—and said trails receive heavy use
from pedestrians even in winter.
The Gateway,once it leaves St.Paul,intersects portions of Maplewood,North St.Paul
and Oakdale.The DNR estimated about 400,000 users a yeaz on the Gateway.Brown's
Creek opened last year to heavy use.
Fred Storl,vice president of the St.Paul Bicycle Racing Club,said the Gateway trail"is
not simply a recreation trail,it has become a transportation conidor with hundreds of
bicycle commuters all year round."
Originally,the DNR said the Gateway and Brown's Creek trails would go unplowed as
part of a statewide plan to shift resources to"high-use seasons"and would quit plowing
trails that had other,accessible,city and county trails nearby.
A related DNR decision to ban high school sld teams from training at William O'Brien
State Pazk,in Washington County,was reversed last week after coaches questioned why
the agency had ended a 40-year arrangement.
The DNR said that reconditioning trails after high school teams practiced on them was
costly.A coach responded that the DNR hadn't done any maintenance work in recent
years and teams were keeping the trails in shape.
kgiles@startribune.com 651•925-5037 StribGiles