Results from the District 4 Community Workshop
Summary
The District 4 Statewide Bicycle Planning Study Community Workshop was held at the Detroit Lakes Public Library located at 1000 Washington Avenue, Detroit Lakes, MN 56501 from 4-6 PM on March 13, 2012. Approximately 35 people participated in the workshop.
Findings
Workshop participants completed a S.W.O.T. (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis of bicycling facilities in our State. Following the S.W.O.T. analysis, participants worked in small groups to organize their responses in themed categories. The themes were prioritized by the participants, unless otherwise noted, with theme prioritized as #1 being the most important.Strengths
Theme (noted as Priority #1): Support/Culture
- Many communities recognize the importance of trails to health and economy
- MN is a bike friendly state
- Presently a great deal of enthusiasm by users and commuters
- Promotion of trails is positive!
- Cities/communities ready to work together
- MN recognizes the importance of a trail system
- Monthly bike promotion on KDLM Hodge Podge
- MnDOT willingness to be at the table
- Many towns can see a positive financial impact because of biking trails
- Citizen input, attitude
- Strong advocacy base
- Regional support
- Partnership with DNR communities
- Open mindedness
Theme (noted as Priority #2): Infrastructure
- There are plenty of trails in other areas of MN
- Safe Routes to School
- Growing number of trails
- Legacy Funding
- Beginning to see very good “bones” when it comes to paved trails
- Many trails link to state parks which provide lodging/access
- Bathrooms at trailheads
- Complete Streets is a major step forward
- MnDOT’s commitment to complete streets is impressive
- State bike routes such as Central Lakes Trail, Heartland Trail, etc.
- Highways with wide shoulders
- Design to keep gravel off/on trails – extending for auto gravel roads
- Lots of trails in Metro area
- MN Complete Streets law
Theme (noted as Priority #3): Economic Business community to cater to the segment
- A serious need for bike trail for safety and economic development and exercise
- Bikes are affordable to own/operate vs autos
Theme (noted as Priority #4): Health
- Partnership for health
- Blue Cross/Blue Shield
- More biking = less harm to environment
- Increase biking because of higher gas prices
- Family oriented activities for Detroit Lakes and the surrounding area
- Theme (noted as Priority #5): Beauty
- Praier to Pine
- 10,000 lakes
- Beautiful scenery – good placement of trails
- Open county areas for a great biking experience
- Many types of different trails
- Good shoulders for highway biking opportunities
Weaknesses
Theme (unranked by participants): Administrative
- It is very difficult to negotiate two state agencies – DOT and DNR when planning trails
- Conflicts and communication between MnDOT and DNR and local units of gov and citizens
- State regulation and policies slow it down
- Complete Streets Implementation
- Metro is greedy regarding local match for Legacy $ – rural trails are not treated fairly and it is wrong
Theme (unranked by participants): Behavior/Enforcement
- Different abilities on trails – speed vs family
- Lack of enforcement of improper bike use and driver behavior around bikes
- No drivers’ ed for dealing with bikes/safety
- Slow. Slow. Slow
- Dogs off lease on bike trail. Public does not understand 20+ MPH clipped in - possible solution: signs stating speeds of riders and danger to them
- Public not courteous to bicyclist. Acceptance
- Biking events still present hazards for motorized traffic
- Not enough complete streets to encourage commuting to/from work/school
- Bike facility consistency is needed among communities
- Coordination between entities
- DNR process is way too slow on building trails!
- Process is not clear for building trails!
- Make it easier to develop trails (less red tape)
- Weather
Theme (unranked by participants): Connectivity
- Limited number of trails in and around the area
- Trails do not coincide with major population areas
- Little coordinated effort in connecting trail state wide
- Non connective trail sections
- Not enough trails
- Connectivity between trails
- Need connections to communities
Theme (unranked by participants): Safety
- Rumble strips in bike lane
- Unsafe roadways or no shoulders
- Rage of drivers directed at cyclists
- Debris close to land fills along hwy
- Rumble strips are a huge safety problem for cyclists
- Rumble strip should be used carefully
- Safety along roadways
- MnDOT focus on traffic speed vs safe routes for bikes and use of semipheres
- Crossings so dangerous – not family friendly
- Rumble strips encroach upon shoulder and cut down on riding areas
- Rumbles on shoulders
Theme (unranked by participants): Funding
- Dealing with state whether DNR or DOT our contact person changes thus slows progress for development
- Staff – not enough
- Land acquisition
- Funding sources
- Spend time lobbying for # to get DNR to build trails
- Funding
- Statewide funding
Theme (unranked by participants): Infrastructure
- 60+ years of automobile-centered development/infrastructure
- Pavement sections narrow therefore culverts, etc match existing pavement widths
- Improve trailhead facilities and make them consistent across the state
- Need more trails in Detroit Lakes area
- Area with no links to other trails
- More designated bike lanes in outstate/rural areas
- Very limited trails in NW MN
- Aging infrastructure of existing trails (maintenance funding)
- Streets and roadways too narrow for bicycling
- Need to connect trails that exist
- Shoulder trail not wide enough for 2 abreast riding – conversation between riders
- Trail maintenance is issue with cash strapped DNR
- Cost and time in developing trails
- Connecting trails
- Facilities at some trails
- Problem in walking on bike trails getting in way of bikes (stop on right)
- The time (years) it takes to do a trail
Opportunities
Theme (noted as Priority #1): Linking trails
- Rest areas on trails
- Cheap land for new purchases in some markets
- Multi-use trails snowmobiles, etc...
- Need more connection to skinnyski.com with bike events > Bruce Adelsmen
- More connectivity among communities
- Segment is seen in a positive manner
- Trail route from Fergus Falls to DL is high priority
- Hwy 34 – bike lanes – park - Osage-Smoky Hills
- Would like to see trails along more state highways – off-shoulder facilities whenever possible
- We need to extend the excellent state trails and connect existing trails, for safe bicycling
- Link DL-Frazee
- Expansion into larger population areas could increase tourism (esp. from ND) link to Moorehead
- Completing the North Country Trail across Minnesota would be an improvement and should be a top priority
- Will the bicycle path be completely separate from traffic ex: any and all motorized vehicles
- What will be the chances of expanding the trials if and when they are in more demand
- Coordinated rest areas with statewide trail system information
- Linking trails
- Building trails in NW where 0 exist
- Planning trails with roadway construction
- Trail maps, newsletters, websites, events
- Develop trails from Frazee to Moorehead
- Highway 78 in Battle Lake 2013
- 59 and 108 in Pelican Rapids in 2014
- Connect existing trails
Theme (noted as Priority #2): Marketing and Training and Education
- Emphasize the price of gas and the benefits of biking more/community
- Global warming
- Gas price – financial incentive to bike
- $6 gas
- Get more local CS Policies adopted!
- Revision process for MN bike state aid rules
- Performance measures used in STIP ITE project selection
- To repave shoulders of back roads
- More consistent design standards – help with project conformity
- Many people from a diverse background are willing to work on the trails system
- Leveraging Legacy Funds to help with the inventory
- DNR/Legacy trail grants
- Transportation enhancement grants
- Increased health awareness
- More communication
- More publicity
- Dedicated bike lanes
- Multi-modal
- Separated out from highway
- Better education of riders rules for bikers and traffic
- More biker education in rural areas
- Make drivers more careful on multi-use roadways
- Train drivers to watch for bikers
Theme (noted as Priority #3): Tourism
- Rest stops, picnic areas and bathroom stops on the trails
- Additional tourism for Detroit Lakes
- Connections to schools K-12 and colleges
- Opportunity to become the cycling capital of the world
- We need an accurate state bicycle map readily available at all tourist information centers and chambers of commerce
- Economic development – bikers are good business for restaurants, motels, supplies
- Connections to tourism hot spots
- Collaboration with other agencies is so important to leverage resources
- License cyclists and trail users
- Tap into local bike club wisdom
- Budget constraints may force better inter-agency cooperation
- Bicycle groups can organize, depart and be part of the Detroit Lakes area
- Policy [to] establish user fee or license fee for bikes to ensure maintenance
- MnDOT should help us push DNR for trail needs
Threats
Theme (noted as Priority #1): General Decrease in Funding
- Decreased funding?
- Diminishing funding
- Lack of funding for trails in NW MN
- Money
- Funding-funding-funding
- $
Theme (unranked by participants): Rural vs Metro
- Finance and metro areas over riding needs of Northwest Minnesota
- Rural MN vs metro. Rural needs more $ and metro won’t give them up
- Competition for limited resources
Theme (unranked by participants): Rumble Strips/Motorized Vehicles
- Access over private land
- Can Fargo keep its bike share system grant?
- Barriers to progress are probably acquiring enough private land and easements for completion of bike routes
- Policy makers believe performance measures should be number of users – need alternates to gain/attract riders
- CIMS policies may preclude Complete Streets
- Motorized issues on trails
- Aging infrastructure
- The use of edge rumble strips on rural highways with no pavement outside the driving lane
- Rumble strips on rural roads
Theme (unranked by participants): Competition/Red Tape
- Lack of money/competition for funding to expand routes
- Too much red tape in trail development
- $ to what extent is biking a priority for MnDOT?
- Funding is going to be an issue – both construction and maintenance
- Federal reauthorization diminishing bike/ped, through policies/$ available
- $ – budget and economy
- Interagency red tape!
- Not enough funding
- Legacy Funds are misused or robbed by Legislature
- No money available
- Where are the priority trails needed? What determines them? MnDOT needs to remain dedicated to providing Transportation Enhancement Funding
[Ungrouped and unranked]
- Budget constraints
- Public attitude regarding vehicle dependence
- State Park reservation system not working = less tourism and less biking
- All trails need to be built downhill
- Interested in the “starting” area for the bike trail in the Detroit Lakes area
Additional comments may also be provided to Greta Alquist through March 30, 2012.
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