A Feasibility Study

All-Terrain Vehicle Use on the North Shore State Trail: A Feasibility Study Prepared Pursuant to: Minnesota Session Laws 2005, First Special Session, Chapter 1, Article 2, Section 3, Subdivision 6 March 1, 2006 State of Minnesota Department of Natural Resources .. .- --- All-Terrain Vehicle Use on the North Shore State Trail: A Feasibility Study TABLE OF CONTENTS Pa e Executive Summary .........................................................................v Final Report I. Feasibility Study Purpose ( Ob)ectives ......................... 3 a. Le islative Direction .............................................................. 3 b. Scope and Ob)ectives ............................................................. 3 c. Study Considerations .............................................................. , d. Study Process - Physical Data Inventory .......................... e. Cost of Study ............................................................................. II. Bac0 round of the North Shore State Trail ................... 1 a. O2nership ................................................................................. 1 b. Current Use and Pro)ected Demand .................................. 1 c. Past NSST Corridor Use Proposals .................................... 11 III. Trail 4ana ement .................................................................13 a. Resource Considerations .......................................................13 b. County and Federal Land 4ana ement ...........................11 c. Potential Trail Use Conflicts ................................................15 IV. Cost Estimates for Trail 4odifications ...........................22 V. Trail Corridor Inventory Details .......................................25 a. Trail Sections i. Trail Section 1 ..................................................................................31 ii. Trail Section 2 ..................................................................................34 iii. Trail Section 3...................................................................................37 iv. Trail Section 4 ..................................................................................40 v. Trail Section 5 ..................................................................................44 vi. Trail Section 6 ..................................................................................47 vii. Trail Section 7 ..................................................................................49 viii. Trail Section 8 ..................................................................................52 ix. Trail Section 9 ..................................................................................55 x. Trail Section 10 ...............................................................................58 xi. Trail Section 11 ...............................................................................61 VI. Conclusion ...............................................................................7, VII. References ................................................................................78 Page i March 1, 2006 All-Terrain Vehicle Use on the North Shore State Trail: A Feasibility Study Appendices A. Data Summaries 1. Lan Ownership 2. Protecte Waters List 3. TMDL Impaire Waters )Map) 4. Culverts 5. Wetlan Mitigation 6a. -ills . /ra es an Potential 0eroutes 61. -ills . Length Summary 7. Intersections . 0oa s an Trails 8. Estimate Construction Cost Summary B. Section Detail 4aps Legen 1. Section 1 2. Section 2 3. Section 3 4. Section 4 5. Section 5 6. Section 6 7. Section 7 8. Section 8 9. Section 9 10. Section 10 11. Section 11 This ocument is availa1le in alternative formats to in ivi uals with isa1ilities 1y calling 651529656157 )Metro Area) or 158885MINNDN0 )MN Toll 8ree) or Telecommunication Device for the Deaf9TT:: 651529655484 )metro Area) or 15800565753929 )Toll 8ree TT:). Page ii March 1, 2006 All-Terrain Vehicle Use on the North Shore State Trail: A Feasibility Study List of Fi ures and Tables Pa e Ta1le 1. Cost Estimate Summary for Projecte Mo ifications .............. Executive Summary, vii 8igure II51. North Shore State Trail Lan Ownership Summary ................................... 8 8igure II52. All5Terrain Vehicle 0egistrations, 199552005 ............................................... 10 Ta1le. II5A. Minnesota All5Terrain Vehicle 0egistration, 1995 . 2005........................... 10 Map 1. Trail Section Overview ............................................................................................. 30 Trail Corri or Inventory Details . Sections 1511 ...............................................................varies Each section inclu es five ta1les, except Section 6, in the following or er: Ta1le )Sect. #).1 Lan Ownership Summary . Section # Ta1le )Sect. #).2 Water Crossing Data Summary . Section # Ta1le )Sect. #).3 Culvert Summary . Section # Ta1le )Sect. #).4 Trea way Sta1ilization Summary . Section # Ta1le )Sect. #).5 -ill /ra e Summary . Section # All photos 1y DN0 staff, 2005. Page iii March 1, 2006 All-Terrain Vehicle Use on the North Shore State Trail: A Feasibility Study Page iv March 1, 2006 All-Terrain Vehicle Use on the North Shore State Trail: A Feasibility Study E9ECUTIVE SU44AR: Scope. This stu y examines the physical capacity of the North Shore State Trail )hereafter NSST) to accommo ate summer5season ATV use 1ase upon a corri or inspection an technical analysis. This analysis, con ucte in conjunction with county an fe eral lan managers, escri1es surface water an wetlan con itions, roa an trail transportation systems, corri or use, an lan ownership. The intent is to etermine which segments of the existing trail are capa1le of sustaining ATV travel either as is, or with mo ification, an to estimate the cost of necessary mo ifications. Certain evelopment stan ar s, or gui elines, are necessary in or er to accommo ate ATV use. Trail evelopment stan ar s have evolve , an continue to evolve, as the DN0 gains experience with ATV trail evelopment an maintenance. In this case, experience with the Moosewalk9Mooserun, an 0e Dot /IA ATV trails locate near 8inlan , Minnesota are particularly instructive. 4ethodolo y. DN0 staff con ucte a etaile corri or inspection of the NSST uring the summer an fall of 2005. Data collecte in conjunction with the 2003504 /IA proposal from the North Shore ATV Clu1 was also use in this analysis. A /eographic Positioning System )/PS) unit was use to collect ata points to recor the location of specific features such as culvertsA 1ri gesA steep hillsA intersections with other trails or roa sA an spots reBuiring trea way sta1ilization in the form of a e fill material or itching in or er to accommo ate ATV use. A DN0 inter isciplinary team has reviewe all of the ata. A itional ata was provi e 1y cooperating agencies, inclu ing the Cnite States 8orest Service, St. Louis, Lake an Cook Counties. 8or the purposes of this analysis, the entire trail )approximately 143 miles) was ivi e into 11 sections 1ase primarily upon juris ictional 1oun aries an existing access points, such as parking lots an roa crossings. These sections, which are of varie lengths, are ar1itrary istinctions an shoul not 1e viewe as in epen ent or mutually exclusive, 1ut simply as analysis units inten e to facilitate review. Findin s. Lan ownership is a critical factor concerning any change in trail use to the NSST, since the majority of the trail corri or is not presently state5owne . Affecte lan owners nee to 1e informe , involve an inclu e in any iscussions concerning propose use of their lan . The DN0 hol s a variety of easements an lan owner agreements to allow the NSST to cross non5DN0 property. Each of these agreements woul nee to 1e revisite 1efore ATV use coul 1e a e to the current recreational mix. Lan owner support or opposition for ATV use woul play a key role in future planning an ecision making for the NSST. The principal environmental concern regar ing ATV use on the NSST is potential impacts to surface waters an wetlan s, nota1ly the many protecte waters crosse 1y the trail. Of special concern are esignate trout streams an their tri1utaries, an protecte wetlan s. Summer5season ATV impacts pose a greater risk to these sensitive resources than those generate 1y all current uses of the North Shore State Trail. This is 1ecause of unfrozen soil con itions, an ue to the mechanical soil istur1ance characteristic of vehicular travel over natural surfaces. This stu y fin s that the NSST coul 1e capa1le of sustaining ATV traffic, 1ut mo ifications woul 1e reBuire throughout the entire length of the trail. These projecte mo ifications range from extraor inary measures to minor alterations. No significant portion of the trail corri or, asi e from Page v March 1, 2006 All-Terrain Vehicle Use on the North Shore State Trail: A Feasibility Study the 6.4 miles alrea y esignate open to ATV use, coul sustain ATV use in its current con ition. Ta1le 1, 1elow, provi es construction cost estimates for projecte mo ifications. This cost summary oes not inclu e a ministrative costs. Areas reBuiring Dextraor inary measuresE to accommo ate ATV traffic are those areas that woul nee lengthy reroutes an 9or wetlan mitigation measures, in a ition to su1stantial trea way alterations. Although portions of the trail have 1een previously mo ifie 1y a ing fill in wetlan areas, there are many other areas not previously mo ifie , which woul now reBuire mitigation. Table 1. Cost Estimate Summary for Projected Modifications.* Section

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