PROJECT TITLE: Red Wing Riverfront Trail Connection Project I. PROJECT STATEMENT The City of Red Wing is requesting $682,000 from the ENRTF to construct a pedestrian-bicycle bridge and local recreational trail connection from the Old West Main Street neighborhood to the Bay Point Park Conservancy on the Mississippi Riverfront. * Red Wing was awarded $857,000 in federal Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) funding to design and construct a new pedestrian-bicycle bridge over the Canadian Pacific Railway's main line railroad track and has budgeted $954,000 of city funds to the project. * The bridge and connecting trail will provide an ADA pedestrian accessible link and increase public access from the Old West Main Street business and residential neighborhood to the riverfront's recreational and natural areas and the Riverfront Trail. * The project is a needed safety improvement to eliminate unsanctioned pedestrian railroad crossings from the city's natural areas and parkland. * The project is part of a larger roadway reconstruction and improvement plan to a conservancy land area with committed future investments by the city and MnDOT, titled The Old West Main Street - Upper Harbor Renewal Initiative. Providing this pedestrian and bicycle connection is a top goal of the city's Riverfront Redevelopment Plan, the newly adopted (2019) Red Wing 2040 Community Plan and the city's capital investment plan. The bridge location, riverfront landing and connecting trail location incorporate the future improvements and upgrades to the Bay Point Park Conservancy, a 201 acre high quality natural resource open space and recreational park area. The project provides an immediate ADA accessible link to the city's riverfront parks, Riverfront Trail system, the Cannon Valley Regional Trail and the Goodhue Pioneer State Trail to, and from, the Old West Main Street neighborhood. The Old West Main Street area is a mixed use business district containing retail, restaurants, entertainment, 349 lodging/hospitality rooms and residential dwellings. There is no existing pedestrian ADA accessible route to the city's riverfront from the Old West Main Street neighborhood. The city's $682,000 ENRTF request represents 33 percent of the estimated construction costs, $2,047,652, for the construction of a plaza-trailhead/bridge access point, installation of the prefabricated steel truss bridge and new connecting trail to the Riverfront Trail. II. PROJECT ACTIVITIES AND OUTCOMES Activity 1 Title: : Construct plaza-trailhead/bridge access point, steel truss bridge and 700 feet of 12-foot wide non-motorized connecting trail segment Description: Construction of a plaza - trail/bridge access point, installation of the prefabricated steel truss bridge and new connecting trail to the Riverfront Trail. Specifically, the trail will be a 10-foot wide bituminous surface with 2-foot wide shoulders (12 feet total). The project will entail excavation, pier-bridge abutments, base preparation, and grading, engineered fill for berm, surface water management, safety fencing/railing, landscaping and plaza/trailhead amenities. ENRTF BUDGET: $682,000 Outcome Completion Date 1. Pedestrian Plaza - Trail head, bridge and 700 feet of riverfront connecting non-motorized recreational trail June 30,2022 III. PROJECT PARTNERS AND COLLABORATORS: * The City of Red Wing will own, operate, and maintain the project. The City is responsible for procurement, environmental review, project design, construction management and administration, financial management, and public involvement. The project is within the City's Capital Improvement Plan with $954,032 of City funds encumbered or budgeted and $857,218 of FHWA Transportation Alternative Program (TAP) funding committed to the project, with $150,000 requested from the MN DNR Local Trail Connections program. The City of Red Wing will be the only designated recipient of the ENRTF funding. Project Partners Not Receiving Funds: * The MN DNR Parks and Trails Division, Planning and Trail Development staff, advisory role for technical review and comments during engineering design and project implementation. * MnDOT staff, advisory role for technical review, comments, FHWA approvals and monitoring during engineering design and project implementation. IV. LONG-TERM IMPLEMENTATION AND FUNDING: Upon completion the project will provide the immediate implementation of a necessary multi-use recreational trail connection. The project will provide pedestrians, bicyclist and people of all abilities a safe access route over the Canadian Pacific Railway's main-line track to and from a residential and vibrant business neighborhood to Red Wing's Mississippi River riverfront. The Old West Main Street area (including the Pottery District) is a growing collection of residences and businesses that draw local and regional visitors to Red Wing. This project will connect the area to and from the city's Riverfront Trail pedestrian/bicycle network. The project will provide ADA access to the Bay Point Park Conservancy and Red Wing's riverfront. Bay Point Park and the riverfront include a number of recreational facilities (multi-purpose trails, river fishing, trout pond fishing, wetlands-natural areas, playgrounds, picnic shelters, skate park, volley ball court, DNR boat launch-landing and boat marinas). The larger immediate plan includes the full reconstruction of four city blocks of Old West Main Street with a narrowing of the roadway surface, utility replacements, storm sewer upgrades, traffic calming curb extensions, ADA access improvements, safer on-street parking, lighting, wayfinding and other amenities. The new roadway design will direct pedestrians and bicyclists to the new bridge and connecting trail for riverfront access. The roadway reconstruction project is programmed to be constructed concurrently with the bridge and trail connection project. The Old West Main Street reconstruction is being funded with City and federal funding. Longer term, the plan also includes realigning Levee Road closer to the railroad tracks with the roadway curving towards the existing barge terminal bulkheads from the Levee Road round-a-bout. This will allow further improvements to the Bay Point Park Conservancy park grounds. The 200 plus acres within the conservancy land area is a premier regional, natural and recreational resource. Our plan includes adding and re-positioning parking for special riverfront events, redesign of the current DNR Mississippi River boat launch-landing parking areas, campground development, improved wetland stormwater management, increase recreational and special event space and creation of an outdoor amphitheater and community building. The Bay Point Park Conservancy plan is 10 year planned community capital investment improvement. Future funding will be sought from multiple sources to supplement city resources over the next 10 years. The long term plan for the Bay Point Park Conservancy will enhance native plant and wildlife habitat, benefit surface water quality, increase public access and expand recreational opportunity for persons of all abilities.