ITASCA HEARTLAND CONNECTION TRAIL

Highway 71 reopens with completion of Itasca-Heartland Connection Trail tunnel

Shannon Geisen — Fri, 22 Sep 2023 23:00:31 GMT

PARK RAPIDS, Minn. — “It’s an exciting time, now that the tunnel is complete,” said Eric Haugland, a member of the citizen-led committee that has been developing a multiple-purpose, recreational trail connecting Itasca State Park with the Heartland Trail for more than a decade.

Haugland is referring to the 12-by-12-foot boxed culvert tunnel recently installed under U.S. Highway 71. Gladen Construction Inc. of Laporte was awarded the $1 million bid to build the structure.

The committee met on Wednesday, Sept. 20, to discuss next steps.

Located about one-third of a mile south of the intersection with State Highway 200, the tunnel is part of the multi-phase construction of the Itasca-Heartland Connection Trail.

The paved, ADA-compliant trail will serve bicyclists, snowmobilers, hikers, in-line skaters and other outdoor enthusiasts.

“The tunnel itself was awarded at just over $1 million. With engineering and everything else, we’re at excess of $1.1 million for the project itself,” reported Kent Skaar, senior project manager for the DNR Parks and Trails Division.

Skaar said final inspection of the tunnel was completed on Tuesday, Sept. 19, and the detour was pulled on Wednesday, Sept. 20. Some finishing touches will occur over the next few weeks.

The tunnel has multi-use pavement flooring, allowing groomers to bring snow into the structure. Snowmobilers should be able to use it beginning this winter, he said. ATVs are prohibited on this non-motorized trail.

Two state appropriations are funding the trail

Earlier this year, the 2023 Minnesota Legislature awarded $2.4 million in bonding for the environmental review, design and construction of the trail, beginning from Itasca State Park’s contact station to the Highway 71 tunnel, then continuing east, where it will connect with an existing snowmobile trail.

In 2020, the Minnesota Legislature included another $2 million in its bonding bill for the trail spur.

“Right now, we have just over $760,000 left in the 2020 appropriation,” Skaar said. “That appropriation will expire at the end of next year, so it has to be spent.”

The 2023 appropriation, as yet unused, expires at the end of 2027.

Itasca State Park extensions

The project also received a $150,000 federal grant for the trail west of the tunnel, heading into Itasca State Park.

Skaar expects specifications for this 2-mile segment will be complete at the beginning of 2024, with bidding in late winter and construction in 2024. It will join an existing bike trail in the park.

Dean Sether, a DNR engineering specialist, has spent the past eight months “avoiding any wetland they could see or identify” in Itasca State Park, Skaar said.

That’s because crossing wetlands is costly, Sether said, resulting in $450,000 in additional expenses.

Sether also rerouted the trail to avoid old-growth white and red pines.

Using basic estimates, Skaar said they should be able to build roughly 4 miles of trail east of the tunnel, all on state-owned land, without touching the 2023 appropriation.

“The two most expensive components in all of these projects are grading and asphalt,” he noted.

Sether estimates trail construction costs between $450,000 to $500,000 per mile.

When additional funds are available, the next phase of trail construction will continue south 11.5 miles on county land to Emmaville.

“We have a whole set of plans, all the way to Emmaville,” Sether said.

The DNR Parks and Trails Division has paid for all preliminary planning to date, Skaar noted, but will look toward the appropriations going forward.

The third phase will go south 8 miles from Emmaville on a county road right-of-way to the intersection with the Heartland Trail, where a trailhead will be constructed.

Historic monument

An old road, called the Jefferson Highway, once cut through Itasca State Park.

Established in 1916 as the first road to traverse North America from north to south, it was named for President Thomas Jefferson. The highway ran from Winnipeg, Manitoba to New Orleans, Louisiana, about 2,300 miles.

A road marker, built in 1941, is “in the middle of the woods. Nobody knows about it besides (park) staff,” Sether said.

He said park staff may develop a walking path to the marker with a historical information kiosk.

Kimball receives complaints

Skaar said the DNR cannot construct the trail on Hubbard County’s tax-forfeited land without a joint powers or easement agreement with the county.

County commissioner Tom Krueger said that process will need to begin next year.

The DNR cannot condemn land for a state trail, Skaar added.

Cory Kimball, the new Hubbard County land commissioner, asked about public input on the project. He replaced Mark Lohmeier, who retired earlier this year.

Skaar said public meetings about the DNR’s master plan for the Heartland State Trail, including this connection with Itasca State Park, were held about 10 years ago.

Deane Johnson said the committee meetings have always been open to the public as well.

People are “disappointed,” Kimball said of the calls he’s receiving. “I have a lot of concerns.”

County commissioner Char Christenson recalled some hunters were opposed years ago.

State trail corridors are open for hunting, Skaar pointed out.

Vic Olson, another longtime committee member, said the pushback has been from hunters.

“It’s a shared forest, and the concerns about any biker out there isn’t going to happen,” he said.

Johnson said hunters interface with Heartland Trail users now, without incident.

Logging roads unsuitable

Kimball proposed moving the trail toward Spider Lake trail, Pine Lake Forest Road, then Deep Lake Park.

In addition to extending the trail 3 to 4 miles, which is costly, Johnson said Lohmeier opposed combining the trail with logging traffic. With wetlands on either side, there wasn’t room for a trail, he recalled.

State trails do not share roadways, Skaar added.

Christenson recalled that a lot of fill would be required to make the logging roads suitable.

“It was discussed before,” she said.

Sether agreed, saying the trail would have to veer back and forth off the logging road. Calling it “a fill disaster,” they would also have to cut down hills. “I found a nice flatter area, again saving money.”

Kimball asked how emergency equipment will access trail users.

Skaar said ambulances or fire trucks can drive down the trail. It’s built to withstand the weight.

Neil King said this new trail will be “very accessible,” not only to pedal bikes, but also to those renting electric bikes in Itasca State Park, and perhaps, Emmaville.

Kimball said he wants to protect county land.

“The intent of county land is multi-use — not just for hunters, not just for loggers, but bikers, hiking, different uses like that,” Krueger said.

All agreed an integrated state and county trail system, that includes Deep Lake Park, would have regional significance.

A $6.25 million bonding request?

Clark Arneson, the committee’s state legislature coordinator, inquired whether they should make another bonding request to the Minnesota Legislature.

He suggested $6.25 million to include trail construction to Emmaville and roughly $80,000 in engineering fees.

Olson noted current legislators have been supportive. State Sen. Paul Utke (R-Park Rapids) and District 5A State Rep. Matt Bliss (R-Pennington) authored the bills last year.

“This really isn’t just a Heartland Trail project,” Olson continued. “This is a project that enhances Itasca State Park, the most visited and popular park.”

Tourism is an economic boon to the region, he said.

The trail has received letters of support from the Park Rapids Chamber of Commerce, Heartland Lakes Development Commission, Hubbard County Board, cities of Park Rapids and Nevis, Friends of Itasca State Park and local biking and snowmobile clubs.

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Concrete tunnel marks launch of Itasca-Heartland Connection Trail

Staff reports — Thu, 31 Aug 2023 19:57:06 GMT

PARK RAPIDS, Minn. — Construction of the Itasca-Heartland Connection Trail began on Monday, Aug. 28.

The trail is a multi-purpose, paved connection between Itasca State Park and the Heartland Trail. It will serve bicyclists, snowmobiles and outdoor enthusiasts.

U.S. Highway 71 is closed at both ends of the dig, with detours in place while crews install a 12-by-12-foot boxed culvert tunnel about one-third of a mile south of the intersection with State Highway 200.

"We're hoping to get a start on that box by Friday," said foreman Luke Paine, with Gladen Construction Inc. of Laporte.

Motorists are being directed from U.S. Highway 71 to Hubbard County State Aid Roads 4 and 40.

The south and east entrances to Itasca State Park remain open.

MnDOT says the project is expected to be complete by Sept. 23, weather permitting.

Construction of the 24-mile trail is split into three phases. Tunnel construction is part of Phase 1.

Earlier this year, the 2023 Minnesota Legislature awarded a $2.4 million bonding request for the environmental review, predesign, design and construction of the trail, beginning from Itasca State Park’s contact station to the park's southeast boundary and through a tunnel under Highway 71, then continuing east of the tunnel for about two miles, where it will connect with an existing snowmobile trail.

The tunnel will have multi-use pavement flooring, allowing groomers to bring snow into the structure.

“The intent is to make the tunnel available to snowmobiles this winter. However, we will have to confirm the final condition of the approaches to assure that they can safely use it,” said Kent Skaar, senior project manager for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Parks and Trails Division.

Skaar said trail construction from the park’s Jacob Brower Visitor Center to the west side of the tunnel could tentatively begin in 2024.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the start of trail construction is tentatively planned for next spring or summer, with the possibility of trail construction beginning from Itasca State Park to the west side of the tunnel in 2024.

An Itasca-Heartland Connection Trail committee meeting will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 20, at the Hubbard County Public Works building, located at 101 Crocus Hill St. in Park Rapids.

“This will be an important meeting discussing the next action for the trail after the installation of the tunnel under Highway 71. DNR engineers will discuss the trail’s engineering study,” said committee member Eric Haugland.

Safe access routes to Minnesota’s most popular park have long been a priority, and the DNR considers this a “destination trail.”

When additional funds are available, the second phase of trail construction will continue 13 miles east to Emmaville on county land. The third phase will go south eight miles from Emmaville on a county road right-of-way to the intersection with the Heartland Trail, where a trailhead will be constructed.

A citizen-led committee has championed constructing the trail for a decade.

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U.S. Highway 71 tunnel construction to begin soon

Shannon Geisen — Thu, 03 Aug 2023 21:46:00 GMT

HUBBARD COUNTY — A tunnel under U.S. Highway 71 for the Itasca-Heartland Connection Trail will be installed earlier than planned.

Traffic will be detoured to County State Aid Highways 4 and 40 for approximately 15 days in August, according to Hubbard County Public Works Director Jed Nordin. Originally, construction was expected to start in September.

The Hubbard County Board approved a detour agreement with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources at its Tuesday, Aug. 1, meeting.

“I believe with the approval of this today, (the DNR) would be able to allow the contractor to begin work next Monday. That was my understanding,” Nordin said.

The Itasca-Heartland Connection Trail is a multi-purpose, paved trail between Itasca State Park and the Heartland Trail. Tunnel construction is part of Phase 1.

Earlier this year, the 2023 Minnesota Legislature awarded a $2.4-million bonding request for the environmental review, predesign, design and construction of a paved, multiple-use trail, beginning from the park’s contact station to the park's southeast boundary and through a tunnel under U.S. Highway 71, then continuing east of the tunnel for about two miles, where it will connect with an existing snowmobile trail.

Kent Skaar, senior project manager for the DNR Parks and Trails Division, told the citizens committee that spearheaded this project that trail design west of the tunnel is “well advanced,” but not ready to proceed to construction at this time.

Nordin said the DNR will reimburse the county for use of county roads during the detour by using the Minnesota Department of Transportation’s gas tax method, not to exceed $7,000.

When additional funds are available, Phase 2 will extend the trail 13 miles east to Emmaville on county land. The final phase will go south eight miles from Emmaville along the right-of-way of CSAH 4 to the intersection with the Heartland Trail, where a trailhead would be constructed.

In related business, the county board:

Approved amendments to four private easements across unsold tax-forfeited land for Leif Haugland in Lake Emma Township. Approved final payment of $200,125 to Vogt Dirt Service, LLC of Bemidji for aggregate surfacing.]]>