While the city council recently passed a pedestrian plan, one thing walkers and bicyclist probably won’t see are the giant elm trees growing along Highway 61 in the downtown area. MnDOT has said the elms will be cut down to make room for the Highway 61 road improvements and MPCA work slated to begin in Grand Marais next summer. Photo courtesy of Bryan Hansel
Grand Marais City Council passed a pedestrian plan at its August 14 meeting.
Grand Marais Mayor Jay Arrowsmith- DeCoux said the city had been working on the plan since 2018 in partnership with Cook County, and the Sawtooth Mountain Clinic. The partners worked through the Statewide Health Improvement Plan (SHIP), which formed a steering committee to develop the plan.
Working on the Grand Marais Pedestrian Plan steering committee was Bryan Anderson, Jay Arrowsmith-DeCoux, Jeff Cadwell, Heidi Doo-Kirk, Krysten Foster, Patrick Knight, Tim Kennedy, Andrea Orest, Mike Roth, and Maren Webb.
City Administrator Mike Roth walked the council through the layers of data collected from citizens and businesses used to form the plan.
In September 2018, the community was asked what places were vital for them to access on foot in Grand Marais. The public used pins placed on a map to give their input. Clusters of pins were around the Dairy Queen, Voyageur Brewing, the Donut Shop, Joynes, Sven & Ole’s and other hot spots in the community.
Written comments were also received with the top priority asking for new sidewalks and trail connections to be built. Enhancing pedestrian street crossings, clearing ice and snow from the sidewalks and clearing obstructions from sidewalks [i.e., vegetation, motorists, bicyclists, snowmobilers.], enhance street corridor lighting, etc., were also listed.
Roth said a top priority was having the city continue to clear snow for high priority sidewalks. Also, the council should annually evaluate sidewalks to monitor sidewalk conditions and maintenance needs as well as ask property owners to maintain their sidewalks within the walking infrastructure.
At some point the city will have to decide which sidewalks should be cleaned in the winter, and which sidewalks should be left alone, he added.
Under the plan, the city will prioritize the downtown district, Highway 61, 1st Ave. West, and 5th Avenue West for street lighting that enhances corridor safety and encourages walking use during the low light hours.
A plan will be developed to strategically locate walk-friendly amenities (i.e., benches and way find signage) to accommodate users.
Last, property owners will be encouraged to provide amenities (i.e., benches or Little Free Library boxes) along the street for users.
Councilor Craig Schulte said he was for the plan, “As long as it doesn’t call for narrowing streets to put in a sidewalk.”
Arrowsmith-DeCoux replied that the plan didn’t call for narrowing streets. Roth added the council would have time in the future to make case-by-case decisions about sidewalk or street improvements in the future.
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