REGIONAL TRAILS Three regional trail facilities were included in The following park packets follow the required and submit each to the Metropolitan Council the NSAMP planning process. The Luce Line Metropolitan Council format for regional trail for approval. Council approval is necessary prior Regional Trail, Shingle Creek Regional Trail master plans. The Luce Line is considered a to any expenditure of state or regional funds on (which includes the Creekview and Shingle Creek regional linking trail, while Shingle Creek and these regional trails. Park areas), and the Theodore Wirth Parkway Victory (Wirth) are destination regional trails, section of the Victory (Wirth) Memorial Parkway because they have wide corridors with significant Regional Trail do not have master plans and are natural resources. The Metropolitan Council inextricably intertwined with the neighborhood requires descriptions of community engagement, facilities in the NSAMP project area. The other which is included in this document in Chapter 2. regional parks and trails in the area (Theodore After adoption of the NSAMP document, MPRB Wirth Regional Park, Victory Memorial Parkway staff will separate each of these regional trail Regional Trail, North Mississippi Regional Park— master plan packets from this overall document, including the 49th Avenue Corridor, and Above add back in this document’s introductory the Falls Regional Park) already have adopted sections on process and community engagement, master plans. MINNEAPOLIS PARK AND RECREATION BOARD 239 NORTH SERVICE AREA MASTER PLAN This page was intentionally left blank LOCATION AND HISTORY The trail travels through Bassett’s Creek Park until it reaches the end of Chestnut Avenue. It then LUCE LINE The Luce Line is an existing regional trail corridor moves onto the street again to follow Chestnut that connects the Cedar Lake Regional Trail and Cedar Lake Road to the entrance of Bryn westward through Theodore Wirth Regional Park Mawr Park, another Minneapolis neighborhood REGIONAL TRAIL and then farther west to other regional parks and park. The trail follows Cedar Lake Road in order trails in the Three Rivers Park District System. The to cross the same railroad tracks that pass under portion described in this master plan is operated the Glenwood Avenue bridge. The trail goes by the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board through Bryn Mawr Park to a bike and pedestrian and travels from Theodore Wirth Parkway within overpass at the eastern end of the park. The Wirth Park to the Cedar Lake Trail. The trail is a overpass is necessary to cross a different railroad critical connecting link in north Minneapolis. Due track, and it includes helix ramps on both ends. to its intersection with the Cedar Lake Trail, it At the bottom of the easterly helix is the Cedar also provides connectivity to the Mississippi River Lake Trail, where the Luce Line ends. and therefore the Minneapolis Grand Rounds. The improvement of the Luce Line Regional Trail Currently, the trail exists entirely within other through existing MPRB properties was largely park properties, not within its own trail right-of- accomplished in 1996. The Minneapolis portion way or separate parcel definition. In addition, the of the trail currently lacks clear signage and trail takes a rather disjointed route from Wirth mapping and offers little in the way of other Park to Cedar Lake Trail, with several segments visitor comfort, such as benches, restrooms on-street. From the intersection of Three Rivers’s and drinking fountains. Though some of these Luce Line and Theodore Wirth Parkway, the amenities exist within the parks through which Minneapolis Luce Line travels southward on trails the Luce Line runs, they are not always closely paralleling Wirth Parkway within Wirth Regional associated with the trail. Park. It then turns east on trails paralleling Highway 55, also within Wirth Park. The Luce A key need for this trail has always been a more Line then passes under Highway 55, winds straight-forward routing without on-street through the eastern portion of Wirth Park, and segments. Recently, a railroad abandonment rises up to Glenwood Avenue. It then goes on- and a corridor offered for sale creates the street to cross railroad tracks on the Glenwood opportunity to set a similar but improved corridor LOCATION Avenue bridge, and then southerly along a street for the Luce Line. This master plan proposes to the northern edge of Bassett’s Creek Park, a that revised routing and provides associated neighborhood park in the Minneapolis system. acquisition and development activities and costs. MINNEAPOLIS PARK AND RECREATION BOARD 241 NORTH SERVICE AREA MASTER PLAN 17TH LEGEND 17TH Park Boundaries CP RAIL SEGMENTS (see next page) Existing Trail • Theodore Wirth Park16TH segment Three Rivers 1 15TH 15TH FREMONT Proposed Trail EMERSON UPTON QUEEN OLIVER GIRARD THEODORE WIRTH IRVING RUSSELL VINCENT THOMAS •2 Fruen Mill segmentNEWTON Parcel Boundaries GOLF COURSE 14TH SHERIDAN 14TH •3 Bassets Creek Park segment PLYMOUTH •4 Eastern segment 7TH FARWELL •5 Van White Boulevard KNOX LOGAN JAMES 1 WASHBURN FARWELL 11TH OAK PARK HUMBOLDT OLIVER RUSSELL QUEEN SHERIDAN NEWTON CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS THOMAS OLSON MEMORIAL OLSON MEMORIAL M. MINTER TRUSTEE THEODORE WIRTH IRVING REGIONAL PARK PIONEER5TH INDUSTRIES INC 5TH RUSSELL QUEEN KNOX OLIVER LOGAN NEWTON MORGAN 4TH 167 JAMES LLC 4TH GLENWOOD RICHARD O HANOUSEK 2 INGLEWOOD 3RD SOO LNE RAILROAD 2ND VINCENT CEDAR LAKE JAMES ELOISE BUTLER CHESTNUT 3 CHESTNUT IRVING WILDFLOWER GARDEN 4 HAWTHORNE 5 PENN RUSSELL QUEEN UPTON THOMAS MINNEAPOLIS PARK AND RECREATION BOARD NEWTON CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS MOUNT VIEW QUEEN BRYN MAWR PARK 394 HOV INTERSTATE 394 INTERSTATE 394 INTERSTATE 394 CEDAR LAKE PROPERTY OWNER MAP: LUCE LINE REGIONAL TRAIL MINNEAPOLIS PARK AND RECREATION BOARD 242 NORTH SERVICE AREA MASTER PLAN BOUNDARY AND ACQUISITION currently has a collaborative relationship park dedication. The trail will run in this with private development entities in this newly acquired corridor. Properties acquired In order to create a more streamlined corridor area and is willing to work with them would become part of Luce Lune property, for the Luce Line, MPRB proposes to acquire, on the best routing for the trail. The rail not neighborhood park. in collaboration with partners, all or a portion corridor itself passes through the middle of of the abandoned CP Rail/Soo Line corridor 5• Van White Boulevard segment: At the end the development area, which may not be that runs through the Bassett’s Creek Valley. of the eastern creek segment, the proposed the best corridor for the trail. Nor may the There are in fact two different rail corridors trail follows existing very wide ped/bike trail need the entire railroad right-of-way that run through the valley: the CP Rail and facilities on the Van White Boulevard bridge width. Therefore, this master plan proposes the BNSF (which is active). The CP Rail is the as it crosses the Minneapolis impound acquisition of this segment in a collaborative line that most closely parallels the historic Luce lot and railroad tracks. The Luce Line effort with private development entities and Line and provides the greatest opportunity for will connect to the Cedar Lake Trail at its retention of a minimum 20-foot trail right- connecting the trail without on-road segments. intersection with Van White or as part of of-way or permanent easement at an exact The following describes the CP Rail corridor, the new southwest light rail station, when location to be determined. segment by segment, and notes opportunities implemented. This segment will run within for collaboration. Costs for acquisition are not 3• Bassett’s Creek Park segment: Between existing public right-of-way. included at this time, as an MPRB-ordered the Fruen Mill bridge and Cedar Lake Road, This master plan proposes to associate land area appraisal is still being reviewed and discussed the master plan proposes acquisition of with the Luce Line for the first time. Between with partners. the rail corridor as Luce Line property, not Glenwood and Van White, the trail would run in neighborhood park property. One key piece •1 Theodore Wirth Park segment: The CP Rail its own dedicated land area. North of Glenwood it of this acquisition will be the assurance of an corridor runs through the middle of Wirth would run through Wirth Regional Park, and on at-grade crossing of the BNSF railroad just Park from the western park boundary to Van White it would run in existing public right-of- east of Penn Avenue. Glenwood Avenue. This land is identified in way that would not change hands. the Master Plan for Theodore Wirth Park as 4• Eastern segment: After passing underneath an inholding in the park. This master plan the Cedar Lake Road bridge, the proposed DEVELOPMENT CONCEPT (AND COSTS) proposes acquisition of this segment as part trail leaves the rail corridor behind and The primary feature of the Luce Line Regional of Theodore Wirth Regional Park, with the begins to follow Bassett’s Creek. MPRB is Trail is the trail surface itself. A new 12-foot wide Luce Line Trail surface running through that currently working collaboratively with the multi-use trail will run from Wirth Parkway to larger Regional Park facility. City of Minneapolis and private developers the Cedar Lake Trail where it intersects with Van as the industrial land between cedar Lake •2 Fruen Mill segment: South of Glenwood White Boulevard. The new trail will run primarily Road and Van White Boulevard redevelops. Avenue is a commercial development site on in a corridor to be acquired from CP Rail and All parties’ intent is to preserve the corridor the old Fruen Mill site. This segment extends partly on industrial land currently redeveloping. of Bassett’s Creek as public green space. only from Glenwood Avenue to the first The total length of new trail is approximatley This green space corridor will be acquired by railroad bridge over Bassett’s Creek.