3 thoughts on “Make a difference!”

  1. It’s sad to see the same mistake being made over and over again. As I ride on paved trails in various states of disrepair throughout Hennepin County and around the state, the DNR is proposing to add more miles of asphalt that will detract from a beautiful, natural setting that has been successfully maintained by volunteers for years. Access may improve for the handicapped and elderly for a short time, but the inevitable destruction of the paved trail by the recurring flooding will result in the permanent inaccessibility of a crumbling eyesore that destroys everything that was special about the river bottoms. There will be no going back — it will haunt the area for decades. The plan shows a stunning disregard for natural spaces and processes. Anyone who’s watched the destruction wreaked by the river every year knows the inevitable fate of any paved trail in the area. Anyone who walks or rides paved park trails in the state knows there’s not enough money to maintain the ones that already exist to a minimal standard — even when they’re not located in a major flood plain. A paved trail is completely unnecessary, aesthetically destructive and a disaster waiting to happen — but there’s still time to come to our senses.

  2. There are lots of folks who simply don’t want this trail paved. We, along with many others, use it frequently and enjoy it as is. Given the already contentious nature of this proposed project, let’s not increase the already strained budget by moving forward with it.

  3. The idea of paving the River Bottoms first came to view a few years ago. If my memory serves me right, the intent was to provide an ADA compliant facility and “the money was in the DNR budget.
    From the timeline that has now stretched to this date, neither the money nor the need for asphalt has been proven to be the answer. Had it been so, we would be roller skiing there now, if the latest flood debris has been cleared.
    This idea of pavement has a very low cost/benefit return. There has been no long term relief from flooding of the area since the original idea was floated. There should be no further action on thinking this area should be paved.

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