The Free Press, Mankato, MN

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September 29, 2009

Minneopa Trail bid for '10 completion

By Dan Linehan

MANKATO — Minneopa Trail, an expensive but key link to the regional trail system, was bid to Mankato-based Southern Minnesota Construction Tuesday and is expected to be completed next summer.

The trail will connect Sibley and Minneopa parks as well as the South Route and Minnesota River Trail, though a few blocks of sidewalk are necessary to hook up with the river trail.

“It’s not a very long trail, but it’s one of those key pieces that makes the trail system really almost complete,” said Jon Andersen, owner of Mankato’s Flying Penguin store.

It takes maybe a half hour for a casual cyclist to traverse, but it adds another loop. Say you’re walking or riding along the South Route Trail and enter Minneopa Park. Take the Minneopa Trail west and you can hop on the Red Jacket Trail or the Minnesota River Trail.

At just under $1.4 million and 11.5 percent over budget, the cost gave pause to at least one county commissioner.

“I have some reservations about spending that kind of money,” Commissioner Kip Bruender said.

But he was swayed because the trail has been planned for more than a decade, the jobs it’ll create and the fact there’s money already budgeted. That includes a $800,000 federal grant, $100,000 from the Department of Natural Resources and $50,000 from the Minnesota Department of Transportation. That leaves a $479,000 local share, which will come from the parks fund.

The five-person County Board voted unanimously to accept the bid.

There was only one bidder for the project, but County Engineer Al Forsberg called it a “competitive bid.”

He said waiting and rebidding the trail might end up costing money.

Forsberg said the lack of competition might be attributable to the project’s complexity. It includes two bridges and a tunnel under the access road to the Land of Memories Park as well as the excavation of an estimated 17,485 cubic yards of earth.

One safety concern is the semi trucks leaving a large tanker facility on Highway 68, part of which is used for the trail. Forsberg said both trail users and trucks will have a stop sign, and there’s good sight distance in the area.

Construction is scheduled to begin this fall. When it will be finished next year depends on many variables, especially the weather.

Andersen, the Flying Penguin owner, said the Minneopa Trail traverses especially scenic land.

“Each trail has become more and more popular in Mankato and made Mankato a more popular cycling destination.”

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