2040 Comprehensive Plan: Envision Shakopee

FIGURE 3.25 - EXISTINGNON-MOTORIZED FACILITIES

The pedestrian and bicycle conditions on the roads and trails in Shakopee vary by context. Shakopee does not have a dedicated non- motorized transportation plan, although the 2007 Parks, Trails & Open Space plan provides some information about the existing trail system. Trails + Multi-use Paths Shakopee has over 80 miles of trails used for both recreation and transportation. Typically, these trails are paved with asphalt and are at least 8-feet in width which allows bike and pedestrian travelers to pass easily. Most of the city’s multi-lane streets include a trail on one side of the street with a traditional sidewalk on the opposite side. Examples of these include trails along Vierling Dr, Eagle Creek Blvd, and 17th Ave. In addition to trails within the street right-of-way, many of Shakopee’s parks are connected via the trail system and some parks include multiple trails within the park lands. Shakopee also uses drainage channels for trail corridors. The Upper Valley Drainage Ditch paralleling Vierling Dr is nearly 2.5 miles and is a critical linkage between many neighborhoods and Shakopee’s parks and schools. There are two regional trails located within Shakopee today. Providing regional east-west connectivity, the Minnesota Valley State Trail, along Highway 101 and paved throughout Shakopee, is a multi-use trail that parallels the Minnesota River from Shakopee to Belle Plaine. To the east, this pathway crosses underneath U.S. 169 and over the Minnesota River, connecting to the Minnesota River Bottoms Trail. Though a valued recreational asset, the trail is not well integrated into a city-wide bicycle network and difficult to access from Shakopee’s residential neighborhoods. The Scott West Regional Trail is a newer recreational trail connecting Cleary Lake Regional Park and Spring Lake Regional Park in Scott County. When completed, the trail will connect to the Minnesota Valley State Trail and nearly connect to the Minnesota River Bluffs LRT Regional Trail. The connection to the Minnesota Valley State Trail would run through Downtown Shakopee, providing access to the short bike EXISTINGNON-MOTORIZEDCONDITIONS

Running Header Place Holder

lane on 10th Avenue and bicycle boulevard along Holmes Street. The only segment which will not feature dedicated bicycle infrastructure will be a short on road segment in Carver County. The City would like to see the investment made to complete the trail to the Minnesota River Bluffs LRT Regional Trail. The transportation network in Scott County along the edges of Shakopee is still being expanded. As Scott County makes roadway improvements, the current standard within city limits is to include a 10-foot-wide side path along both edges of county roads. Shakopee contains a single Tier 1 Alignment in the Regional Bicycle and Trails Network as developed by the Met Council and multiple Tier 2 Alignments and Corridors. These alignments and corridors represent routes throughout the region which the Met Council has idenitifed as regionally significant routes which should be prioritized to be developed and connected. Currently, the only Tier 1 Alignment within the city, along the Highway 101 corridor, is developed and integrated within the city’s trail network while the Tier 2 Alignments are being installed as roadways are reconstructed. The majority of Tier 2 corridors will be integrated into the system further into the future. See figure 4.2 in the Natural Environment section for a detailed discussion at the regional trail alignments and search corridors within Shakopee. Sidewalks Approximately half of Shakopee’s street network lacks sidewalks. Sidewalk networks are most complete in the town’s historic core. Some of the newer residential developments include sidewalks on one side. Areas lacking sidewalks span both residential areas and light industrial areas, particularly north of U.S. Highway 169. Many of the streets without sidewalks are residential streets with slow vehicle speeds and low volumes that can accommodate pedestrians in a shared street environment. Others are key connections where small investments could improve access and allow for a more walkable community.

226 Running Header Place Holder 2 1 3 4 6 7 8 Transportation 5 Running Header Place Holder Running Header Place Holder Running Header Place Holder Running Header Place Holder Running Header Place Holder

ENVISION SHAKOPEE | SECTION IV: BUILT ENVIRONMENT