1. Accepting the Feasibility Study to advance to final design, which will incorporate the boardwalk alternative described within, and;
2. Authorizing a revised supplemental agreement in the amount of $465,588 with Alliant Engineering, Inc. for a Final Design of the proposed trail, incorporating the boardwalk alternative that avoids bisecting private property north of Highway 52.

This project extends the City’s trail network from approximately 28th St SE, proceeding under Highway 52, and to County State Aid Highway (CSAH) 47 to Gamehaven Regional Park. The extension of the Willow Creek Regional Trail meets key priorities outlined in the Rochester Park System-Wide Master Plan and connectivity goals of the City's Comprehensive Plan and Active Transportation Plan. This project has been anticipated within various planning documents since the late 1990s. The trail would help provide access to jobs, food, and recreation for at least 1000+ households within half a mile and 2500+ households within a mile of the project. US Highway 52 effectively isolates neighborhoods to the south from anything other than vehicular transportation, which includes many recent multi-family residential properties.

As part of the feasibility review, several alternative trail alignments were evaluated but not carried forward for further evaluation. These included:

• A potential alignment along CSAH 1, which would connect to the regional park but would not provide the same direct neighborhood access, would create a less inviting user experience due to the nature of the 55 MPH highway, and may have right-of-way (ROW) constraints in areas along the highway. Additionally, this costly alternative would require the reconstruction of the entire west side of the county road to create an urban section that eliminates ditches and constructs a curb and gutter to provide a protected facility. This alternative would also require trail users to navigate a highway interchange with on/off ramps at uncontrolled intersections and would also be challenging to fit a trail under the bridges.
• A potential alignment east of the Loomis property through a cultivated field. While this option would avoid bisecting the private property, it presented grade challenges that would make meeting Americans with Disability Act (ADA) design standards challenging and be a less desirable user experience. This alternative also included high volumes of earthwork and substantial alterations to the landscape in order to achieve ADA grades.
• Similar to the challenges along CSAH 1, we didn’t attempt to consider a path along Highway 63 (65 MPH) because of the challenges of safely navigating the maze of signals, on/off ramps, drainage ditches, etc. at the interchange with ROC52.
• During the project open house and the open comment period when the project was first presented for approval, the team also heard feedback from a property owner that an alignment that passes under the ROC52 bridge on the west side of Willow Creek and then crosses private property to access the public ROW within the Woodlake Subdivision should be considered. This alternative would require acquisition of private property through the subdivision and meandering the trail along public ROW past numerous driveways and intersections to connect to the SportsPlex. This introduces numerous conflicts with vehicles, which is not in line with the goal of this regional trail connection.

Only two alternatives were carried forward in the Feasibility Study due to the reasons noted above. The resulting recommendation reflected the alternative that best balances safety, connectivity, environmental considerations, cost effectiveness, and long-term usability.

The Feasibility Study was presented to Council on August 3, 2026. Council accepted the study and supplemental amendment; however, the Mayor subsequently vetoed the action. Council did not override the veto on August 17, 2026. Accordingly, the matter is being brought back to Council to seek authorization of the supplemental agreement necessary to proceed with final design of the trail, incorporating the alternate route north of Highway 52.

Alliant Engineering, Inc., provided a supplemental agreement outlining the next phase of the project, including final design, continued project management, utility coordination, and related services. The intent of authorizing these professional services will be to prepare the project for bidding this winter. This contract amendment includes designing a pedestrian bridge over CSAH 47. Public Works feels that it will be important to design this crossing to help inform future grant applications for bridge construction. Construction of the trail is anticipated to be completed in June 2028.

This project has been identified on the long-range transportation plans that are completed every five years by the Rochester-Olmsted Council of Governments (ROCOG). This project is also aligned with and identified in the City's Active Transportation Plan. Active Transportation includes walking, rolling, and biking. U.S. Highway 52 acts as a barrier to people looking to access jobs, retail, and the larger network of recreational trails. This project will create a safe pedestrian and bicycle passage between the isolated area to the south and the rest of the community.

November 4, 2024: Council approved Item ID 4168, authorizing two grant agreements with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources for the bond funds received for the Project and; authorizing a contract in the amount of $165,230 with Alliant Engineering, Inc. for a Feasibility Analysis to identify the preferred trail alignment.

September 8, 2025: Council adopted a resolution authorizing the right-of-entry on a property to continue surveys for the Willow Creek Regional Trail Project.
August 3, 2026: Council accepted the Feasibility Study and authorized the supplemental agreement with Alliant Engineering, Inc. for final design of the proposed trail. This item was vetoed by Mayor Norton.
August 17, 2026: Public Works re-submitted Project materials for Council consideration after the Mayoral veto. The item was denied.

The current base project cost, including engineering, property acquisition, interest, and construction contingencies, is estimated to be $3,928,643. The pedestrian bridge option is estimated at $3,400,000 (including engineering and contingencies). The project with the addition of the bridge is estimated to be $7,328,643, which is beyond the current budget.
 
The 2026-2031 Capital Improvement Plan identifies $1,875,000 in tax levy funds and two State grants totaling $3,625,000 for total funding availability of $5,500,000. This leaves a gap of $1,828,643 to achieve the estimated total cost of including the bridge in the project.
 
Authorization to proceed with final design of the bridge will help the project team refine estimated costs, assess the funding shortfall, and explore options to fund the bridge with the project, or with a future grant application.

No alternative actions suggested at this time.