What’s up with the missing links?

With 80% of the Lake Links Trail around White Bear Lake now in place, walkers, runners, bicyclists, and motorists alike are eagerly awaiting completion of the entire 10-mile loop. And many are wondering: What’s up with the segments along Hwy 96 and Hwy 244 through Dellwood that were allocated funding by the Minnesota Legislature but have yet to be completed?

Highway 96: Advocating for safety

The segment of Hwy 96 that runs from Hwy 61 to Hwy 244 along the north side of the lake is a state highway. The 2020 Minnesota Legislature allocated $500,000 each to White Bear Township and the City of White Bear Lake to develop the Lake Links Trail along this segment, but no decisions have yet been made as to how to do so.

Meanwhile, the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT), in partnership with Washington and Ramsey Counties,  recently completed a study looking at possible improvements to the highway. The Highway 96 Study final recommendations include a MnDOT plan to pave Hwy 96 from Hwy 61 to Hwy 244 in 2030. 

The Lake Links Association and local units of government are working to shift MnDOT’s focus on paving the road to include implementing safety measures described in the study for the stretch between White Bear Lake County Park and Highway 244, including the trail. We all want to see the road fixed in 2030, not just paved.  

To this end, the City of White Bear Lake proactively hosted a meeting on June 26 for area legislators and decision makers to walk the highway and review the project. We applaud their initiative, and we also thank White Bear Township for their expressed support. We are grateful as well for the behind-the-scenes work being done by Ramsey County commissioners and state legislators to influence MnDOT and make 2030 a year of change and greater safety on Hwy 96. 

Highway 244: Awaiting turnover decision

Meanwhile, the City of Dellwood continues to ponder how it should move forward with the $4.6 million the Minnesota Legislature has set aside for trail development through its jurisdiction. The decision has become entwined with a proposal by MnDOT to give Dellwood $11.56 million to take over ownership and maintenance of Hwy 244 through the city, and we don’t anticipate that planning for the trail will move forward until that issue is resolved. You can learn more about the turnback deliberations here.

As we all know, the wheels of government can turn exceedingly slowly. Even as we wait to see desperately needed safety improvements set into place, we are actively engaging with state, county, and local governments to seek the best possible outcomes for the long term. If you are a resident of White Bear Lake, White Bear Township, or Dellwood, we encourage you to encourage your elected officials to seek the same.