Two West St. Paul Sidewalk and Trail Projects Move Forward

Thanks to Southview Garden Center for their support.

Good news for sidewalks and trails in West St. Paul: The Met Council approved two projects in West St. Paul, making them eligible for federal funding. The two projects are 1.1 miles of sidewalk and trail along Oakdale Avenue and .7 miles of sidewalk along Bidwell Avenue. If the city receives federal funding, construction would likely happen in 2024 (though it’s possible it could happen in 2023).

Oakdale Sidewalk and Trail

The project along Oakdale runs 1.1 miles between Butler and Wentworth. It would add multi-use trail to the east side and a sidewalk along the west side. Currently there is trail on one side of Oakdale for part of that stretch—the existing River-to-River Greenway trail—but north of Emerson there isn’t any sidewalk or trail. This is Dakota County’s third highest priority trail gap.

The total project cost is $2.2 million, with $1.8 million in federal funding and the remaining $450,000 split between Dakota County and West St. Paul.

Bidwell Sidewalk

The project along Bidwell runs .7 miles between Butler and Thompson. It would add five-foot sidewalk to the east side of Bidwell Avenue. Currently there isn’t any sidewalk or bike lanes on this stretch.

This is part of a ‘Safe Routes to School’ plan that will help students walk or bike more safely to Moreland Elementary School and Heritage E-STEM Magnet School. Free busing is not provided to students who live within .75 miles of Moreland and one mile of Heritage

The total project cost is $800,000, with $640,000 in federal funding and the remaining $160,000 from West St. Paul.

Next Step

While this is an important step in the process for these projects, it doesn’t guarantee federal funding. The next step will be federal approval of the projects.

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