ENRTF ID: 286-GH PROJECT TITLE: Construction of pedestrian/bicycle bridge on Lady Slipper Scenic Byway/Great River Road I. PROJECT STATEMENT Lady Slipper Scenic Byway, Inc. is proposing the construction of a stand-alone, ADA compliant pedestrian/bicycle bridge and connecting trail over the Mississippi River on Beltrami County Highway 39, the Lady Slipper Scenic Byway. This portion of the byway is in common with a section of the Great River Road National Scenic Byway. The bridge will be adjacent to the current highway bridge and adjacent to a newly created Mississippi River Interpretive Site with adequate, safe parking. Planning, design, design engineering and cost estimates have been completed. Beltrami County owns all necessary right of way. The goals of the project are to provide increased safety for users of the existing highway bridge and to enhance the recreation experience at this site. The bridge will not only serve residents of the local Indian community and surrounding communities but also tourists who visit the many amenities along the Scenic Byways and the Chippewa National Forest. The route is a gateway to campgrounds, resorts, forests, lakes, CCC Camp Rabideau, (a National Historic Landmark) and an abundance of the state flower, the Showy Lady’s Slipper. This project would also provide a missing safety link in a Great River Road bicycle trail connecting other state and regional bicycle trails including the Paul Bunyan, MiGiZi, Mississippi River Trail (MRT) and Heartland Trail. Achieving goal: The ADA compliant stand-alone bridge would funnel pedestrians/bicyclists away from the busy traffic lanes and narrow shoulders on the highway bridge. It creates a structure wide enough to accommodate multiple users. Tourist recreation users as well as the local and surrounding community members will be able to more safely enjoy access to the pristine, young Mississippi River for bicycling, walking, photography and fishing. Need: The current highway bridge is not wide enough for bicycle and pedestrian traffic to safely share with vehicular traffic. Commercial truck traffic is frequent as well vehicles towing boats and campers. There is no designated bicycle/pedestrian lane on the highway bridge. North and south of the bridge there are widened shoulders designed to accommodate bicycles. Sections of the highway (Beltrami County 39) have been undergoing reconstruction since 2010, with various detours. Once the highway reconstruction is completed in 2020-2021, tourist and commercial traffic will only increase. Beltrami County will be the fiscal agent and the County Highway Engineer Bruce Hasbargen will administer the project. Total project cost is $610,000, of which $227,000 has been secured and a $250,000 request is pending. II. PROJECT ACTIVITIES AND OUTCOMES Activity 1 Title: Bridge and connecting trail construction Description: The objective is to complete the construction of an ADA compliant trail bridge at the location described above. The money will be used to contract with a construction firm to build the bridge and the connecting trail. Once funding is secured, bids will be solicited and evaluated, a construction firm will be hired, and construction will be supervised by Beltrami County to insure the outcome will be satisfactory. The finished bridge will allow for safer multiple use of an area that is a popular destination for tourists, and local/area residents, for biking, fishing, hiking, sightseeing and photography. ENRTF BUDGET: $ $133,000 requested as partial funding. Total project cost $610,000 Outcome Note: Completion date is given as a range dependent on coordinating grant Completion Date 1. Beltrami County Highway will solicit bids from contractors, No grant cost 6/30/22-6/30/24 2. Contractor will construct 12 ft. wide bicycle pedestrian bridge, 185 ft. $106,000 6/30/22-6/30/24 3. Construction of 12 ft. wide connecting trail to bike trail on roadside, 344 ft. - $27,000 6/30/22-6/30/24 III. PROJECT PARTNERS AND COLLABORATORS: 1. Beltrami County, the unit of government that will be the fiscal agent and administrative sponsor. Beltrami County Engineer, Bruce Hasbargen, will be the project manager. Beltrami County will maintain the bridge. 2. Lady Slipper Scenic Byway, a 501(c)3 organization volunteer partner, is the concept promoter and grant seeker. 3. Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, tribal government, project supporter 4. Chippewa National Forest, federal government agency, project supporter 5. MN-Mississippi River Parkways Commission – a statutory commission formed to promote and enhance all aspects of travel along Mississippi River, project supporter. IV. LONG-TERM IMPLEMENTATION AND FUNDING: This project has a head start because of the previous planning, design and design engineering that was performed by Houston Engineering. Partial provisional funding has been secured for the construction of this proposed pedestrian/bicycle bridge. The overall estimated cost of the project ($732,232) is reduced by the design and engineering already completed (phase 1), and the “in-house” construction engineering that will be done by Beltrami County Highway Department, leaving $610,000 as total amount needed to complete the construction in this phase 2. Once built, Beltrami County Highway Department will maintain the bridge as part of their routine maintenance of county highways. V. SEE ADDITIONAL PROPOSAL COMPONENTS: A. Proposal Budget Spreadsheet – see attached B. Visual Component or Map – see attached C. Parcel List Spreadsheet - N/A D. Acquisition, Easements, and Restoration Requirements - N/A, Beltrami County already owns ROW. Detailed probable cost estimate sent in this space (A2) E. Research Addendum (Not required at proposal submission stage. Required later in process, if proposal is recommended. Staff will provide further information at that time) F. Project Manager Qualifications and Organization Description – see attached G. Letter or Resolution – see attached H. Financial Capacity. See attached Letters of support for this project from: Representative John Persell Chippewa National Forest Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Minnesota Mississippi River Parkway Commission will be forwarded in an e-mail with subject: Letters of support for project: Construction of pedestrian/bicycle bridge on Lady Slipper Scenic Byway/Great River Road