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CITY OF ORONO MEMORANDUM <br /> <br />DATE: February 10th, 2020 <br />TO: Orono City Council <br />FROM: Adam Edwards, P.E., Public Works Director / City Engineer <br />RE: Maintenance of Three Rivers Park District Trails <br /> <br />1. Purpose. The purpose of this memo is to provide background information for discussion of the City <br />taking on the responsibility for winter maintenance of Three Rivers Parks District Trails. <br /> <br />2. Background. Periodically the City received requests for residents and groups to perfume winter <br />maintenance on the regional trail systems; in particular the Dakota Trail. The City’s position has been <br />that regional assets should be maintained by the regional body responsible for them. In previous years <br />Orono and our neighboring communities have declined to accept winter maintenance responsibility for <br />the regional trail system within the City. (See attached newspaper articles) However the City has <br />historically maintained the trail along Old Crystal Bay Road from Wayzata Blvd and to CR6 as it <br />functions as a side walk. Every three years Three Rivers Park District asks each city along its regional <br />trails to respond as to whether the city wishes to authorize winter use of the trail segments within their <br />communities. Acceptance requires that the city accept responsibility for maintaining the trails including <br />but not limited to plowing, sweeping, sanding, trash removal and sign placement from November 15th to <br />March 31st. The District also requires that the city provide a Certificate of Insurance. In 2018 Three <br />rivers park district piloted a program offering cities $500/mile for cities to maintain park district trails in <br />the winter. <br /> <br />3. Regional Trails Description. Three Rivers Regional Trails within Orono include (6.4 total of miles): <br /> <br />a. The Dakota Regional Trail is a bituminous surfaced trail which goes through Orono East to West <br />for 3.5 miles to the north of Shoreline Road from Wayzata to Minnetonka Beach and then from <br />Minnetonka Beach to Spring Park. <br /> <br /> b. The Lake Independence Trail is 2.9 miles of bituminous surfaced trail which connects the Luce Line <br />Trail to Starkey Road and then Baker Park following Old Crystal Bay Road North and then CSAH 6 <br />West. <br /> <br />4. Cost. Maintaining the Regional Trails (6.4 Mi) for 5 months each year for snow removal would cost <br />approximately $7808 in labor and equipment. (20 snow or ice events *6.4 miles * 1 hr/mile hrs to travel, <br />plow, sweep and then touch up *($45/hr in labor + $16/ hr in equipment)) <br /> <br />5. Funding. Three Rivers could provide up to $3200 per year. The remaining $4608 would have to <br />come from the General Fund/Parks Operating Budget. <br /> <br />5. Other Considerations. <br /> <br />a. If Orono selects to maintain the Dakota trail then we should consider maintaining it all the way <br />from Wayzata to Mound (Through Mtka Beach and Spring Park) in order to provide continuity. <br /> <br />a. Pros and cons.