Minneapolis Plan Could Finally Complete Grand Rounds Trail Extension

A newly proposed master plan for Minneapolis includes details for a five-mile link that would close the gap in the city’s Grand Rounds trail, reports Jessica Lee. If the last leg is completed, the route would extend the now 50-mile trail and provide a continuous loop around the city.

Lee says that city officials by 2009 had made five unsuccessful attempts to build the extension. This latest effort is part of the East of the River Park Master Plan and would connect trails in the southeast and northeast of the city.

Stakeholders generally agree about what should happen on the north and south ends of the proposed extension. The middle section, however, would include land owned by the University of Minnesota, which is not fully on board with the plan. The route would also traverse a BNSF Railway rail yard and require the construction of bridges, a costly prospect, notes Lee.

The city’s park and recreation board will vote on the master plan in February. If approved, it will continue on to the Metropolitan Council, the Minneapolis regional planning organization, which oversees funding for the trail.