Title
Adopting the Summit Avenue Regional Trail Plan.
Body
WHEREAS, the Summit Avenue Regional Trail Plan (“Plan”) is a visionary document to develop an approximately 5.4 mile regional trail linking Mississippi Gorge Regional Park and the Samuel Morgan Regional Trail along this scenic parkway in the City of Saint Paul; and
WHEREAS, the City’s 2040 Comprehensive Plan, the 2015 Bicycle Plan, and the Metropolitan Council’s 2040 Regional Parks Policy Plan (“RPPP”) identifies a regional trail search corridor along Summit Avenue; and
WHEREAS, the 2040 Comprehensive Plan was adopted in 2018 following review by the Parks and Recreation Commission and approval by the City Council; and
WHEREAS, the 2019 Saint Paul Climate Action Resilience plan recognizes the importance of residents having safe access to protected active transportation facilities; and
WHEREAS, the 2019 Pedestrian Plan identifies actions to plan, design, build and maintain the City’s transportation system in a way that prioritizes walking first, followed by bicycling and transit use over other vehicles; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Parks and Recreation assembled and facilitated a series of community and key stakeholder meetings, hired an engineering consultant, and worked across City departments and partner agencies to develop a preferred alignment for the Summit Avenue Regional Trail Plan; and
WHEREAS, the City Council recognizes the many community voices that have been heard throughout this planning process and appreciates the differences in opinion and life experiences shared regarding Summit Avenue, as well as the desire shared by many to preserve and enhance this unique community asset; and
WHEREAS, many parts of Summit Avenue are more than 100 years old necessitating future street reconstruction, therefore, now is the time to identify a vision for pedestrian and bicycle facilities in the corridor when reconstruction occurs; and
WHEREAS, the trees and broad median spaces al...
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