CITY COUNCIL: Next step for Ramsey County Victoria Street trail project underway

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Avenue in Shoreview down to County Road C in Roseville, which is approximately 2 miles in length,” Wesolowski said. “The posted speed limit is between 35 and 40 miles an hour, with an average of almost 5,000 to 6,000 cars per day. It does serve Metro Transit rail 227, and a majority of the section has no separated sidewalks or trails. The pedestrians and bicyclists must use the marked shoulders and in Shoreview, it’s all shoulder.”

According to Wesolowski, the completion of this trail segment is recommended in the city’s current comprehensive plan and supported by the city’s Bikeways and Trails Committee. The trail would connect to existing trails and sidewalks located on adjacent streets, improving the connection between neighborhoods and the city’s existing trail system. The trail would also provide better connections to three schools: Emmet D. Williams (County Road D), St. Odilia (Victoria Street), and Island Lake Elementary School (Victoria Street).

“Ramsey County conducted four open houses; two of them were in person and two of them were virtual,” Wesolowski said. “They also conducted three online surveys and had two interactive mapping activities, so there was quite a bit of public engagement during the time that the study was being conducted. The open houses were well attended, and residents did respond to the online survey. The majority of the input we received was generally supportive of the trail.”

Council Member Emy Johnson noted that residents expressed concerns about the project at a previous City Council meeting. “Have we heard from additional residents since then, or were we able to satisfy them with the broader plan?” she asked Wesolowski.

“We did not hear any other comments, and no one else contacted me after that meeting,” Wesolowski responded. “I’m not sure if Brad Martens (city manager) did or anybody else.”

Council Member Shelly Myrland asked if the county will allow community input when the plan starts to get developed.

“With regard to public input for the final design process, it would be very similar to the concept design process,” said Scott Merrick with Ramsey County Public Works. “We would work with your city engineering staff and make sure that all the residents along the corridor know about the project and have input in the final design process.

So if we did get the funding, it would be 2028 or 2029 funding years, so we would typically start the final design process about two years before that, so 2026 or 2027.”

Marsha Soucheray, of Shoreview, has worked with the Bikeways and Trails Committee since 1980 and encourages the city to move forward with the project.

“The thing that we hear more than the people who are saying, ‘Please don’t put it in my backyard’ is after the fact, people come back and they say, ‘I am so glad you put that trail in,’” Soucheray said. “It really is appropriate that we continue to build on the trail system that many many council people have worked on over the years.”

Noelle Olson