Next steps for Highway 96/Lake Avenue
By Mike Brooks
Highway 96/Lake Avenue on the north side of White Bear Lake is one of two state-owned road segments that still need to be upgraded to give the region a safe bicycling and walking route around the lake. The Lake Links Association and many others are working to see this dream become a reality.
The Highway 96/Lake Avenue segment is less than three-quarters of a mile long, from White Bear Lake County Park east to Highway 244. Right-of-way issues along this densely populated segment are clouding many decisions, including the Lake Links Trail’s alignment.
The final report from a study recently completed for Washington County on this stretch includes recommendations to address the multiple speed and access safety issues along the segment, including adding a trail. Unfortunately, it produced no real plan to implement the recommendations.
MnDOT, one of the partners in the study, considers the Ramsey County section of Highway 96, also known as Lake Avenue, to be a “pavement preservation” corridor. It defines pavement preservation as “planned work aimed at improving or maintaining the condition of roadways without adding capacity or structural value. It focuses on restoring the overall condition of transportation facilities to ensure they remain in good repair over time.”
In short, MnDOT currently intends to keep the pavement up and not much else. The paving is scheduled for 2030.
Given the differences between MnDOT's plans and the goals of the study report, the Lake Links Association, working with units of government and legislators in the area, suggested that the various parties involved in determining the future fate of Highway 96/Lake Avenue meet to make a collective decision on how to move forward.
White Bear Lake Mayor Mary Nicklawske agreed and is working to bring together the various parties. Over the summer, she organized a meeting along the edge of Highway 96/Lake Avenue for decisionmakers and legislators to see the issues firsthand.
The City of White Bear Lake has set a meeting in late October with a number of officials from MnDOT, Ramsey County, Washington County, and White Bear Township along with local legislators Sen. Heather Gustafson and Rep. Brion Curran to discuss. Lake Links Association will be there, too.
We thank Mayor Nicklawske, and all meeting participants, for their willingness to come together to advance safety on a stretch of road that for decades has needed this level of attention.
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