With nearly 80% of the Lake Links Trail around White Bear Lake completed, curious minds might be wanting to know: What’s up with the other 20%?
Two segments remain to be completed before the trail can completely circumnavigate White Bear Lake: a ¾-mile segment along Highway 96 from Ramsey County Beach east to Highway 244, and a 1½ -mile section through Dellwood from Highway 96 south to Mahtomedi.
In 2020, the Minnesota Legislature provided $1 million in funding to White Bear Lake and White Bear Township for the Highway 96 segment and $2.6 million to Dellwood for its segment. The Dellwood segment received another $2 million allocation in 2023.
The Highway 96 stretch, although located in Ramsey County, is part of a Washington County study scheduled to be completed by early 2026 that aims to understand the issues in the corridor – including trail construction – from the residents’ perspective. Recognizing the key role citizen input played in the successful completion of the South Shore segment, the Lake Links Association successfully encouraged Ramsey County to join the Washington County study and include residents along the ¾-mile segment in the planning. Sign up for our newsletter to be notified of study progress, including further opportunities for public comment.
Citizen input is also the focus of current activity around the Dellwood segment. Late last year, Dellwood assembled a Trail Advisory Committee. The group had their first meeting at the Dellwood Country Club earlier this month. Again, we encourage you to sign up for our newsletter for updates.
All local state legislators are on board with completing the trail. Former Ramsey County Commissioner Victoria Reinhardt continues to be a champion, and the new incoming Commissioners Kelly Miller and Tara Jebens-Singh are in touch and want to take a tour of the project around the lake.
Lake Links Association is poised to help however we can! In the meantime, as local units of government deliberate, we are focusing our efforts on making completed segments of the trail a better, safer, and more inspiring place to spend time. Take a peek at our latest project here!
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