DEPARTMENT: Transportation
FILE TYPE: Regular Information
TITLE
title
Update And Direction On Potential Trail Inclusion For County State Aid Highway 54 Expansion In Ravenna Township, County Project 54-011
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PURPOSE/ACTION REQUESTED
Provide an update to County leadership on the preliminary design layout and key findings from the April 8, 2026, public open house for the County State Aid Highway (CSAH) 54 reconstruction project and seek further direction on the potential inclusion of a multi-use trail.
SUMMARY
Dakota County, in partnership with the City of Hastings, Prairie Island Indian Community, and Ravenna Township, is advancing County Project (CP) 54-011 to reconstruct CSAH 54 (Ravenna Trail) between CSAH 54 (18th Street East) and CSAH 68 (200th Street East). The project includes safety-driven geometrics, widened shoulders, turn lanes, culvert replacements, flood-resiliency improvements, and a planned roundabout at the CSAH 54/68 intersection (Attachment: Location Map). Construction is anticipated in 2030, subject to funding.
CSAH 54 is currently a narrow, high-speed rural highway with documented safety issues, including sharp curves, limited shoulder width, inadequate sight distances, and a high number of run-off-the-road crashes. The open house materials and analysis highlight over 200 documented crashes in the corridor over the past ten years, including run-off-the-road, head-on, and vehicle-bike/pedestrian incidents.
A multi-use trail adjacent to CSAH 54 is also being evaluated. This facility would serve as a critical extension of the Mississippi River Greenway, enabling future regional trail connections south to Prairie Island and eventually to downtown Red Wing, consistent with the 2009 Hastings-to-Red Wing Trail Master Plan and its 2023 update.
County staff previously provided updates on May 13, 2025, and December 2, 2025, outlining four design options:
1. Reconstruction without trail
2. Reconstruction with paved trail
3. Reconstruction with graded (unpaved) trail
4. Future trail construction (constructed independently later)
Following review, the County Board directed staff to include the trail.
Second Public Open House (April 8, 2026)
Approximately 83 attendees participated in an informal drop-in open house at Ravenna Township Hall. The project team shared the preliminary layout, safety needs, visualizations, and trail concepts. Public comments were accepted in person, via comment cards, and online.
On April 21, 2026, the County Board also received a petition from Ravenna Township residents expressing concerns regarding the potential trail component, including property impacts, privacy, trespassing, rural character, and fiscal responsibility. These concerns are generally consistent with themes heard during the April 8, 2026, open house and prior engagement. Staff will continue to evaluate these topics through the established environmental review and design process, including ongoing coordination with affected property owners and Township leadership.
Environmental Review Status (EAW):
An Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) has been completed for County Project 54-011 in accordance with Minnesota Rules 4410. The EAW is ready for publication following confirmation of the preferred design direction, including the potential trail component. Staff will review the EAW with the Physical Development Committee (PDC) on June 16, 2026, and, consistent with past practice, will provide the County Board with awareness of the upcoming release on June 23, 2026, as an informational consent item. Under Environmental Quality Board (EQB) rules, formal County Board approval is not required to submit the EAW for publication; however, staff customarily align EAW publication with Board notification to ensure transparency and coordinated project communication.
EAW Schedule:
The proposed schedule aligns environmental review milestones with the County Board and PDC calendar:
1. PDC Presentation - June 16, 2026 (PDC)
2. County Board Approval to Distribute (Consent) - June 23, 2026 (CB/GGP)
3. Submit EAW to EQB Monitor - By June 30, 2026
4. EQB Monitor Publication - July 7, 2026
5. 30-Day Public Comment Period - July 8-August 7, 2026
6. Prepare Findings/Responses - August 7-18, 2026
7. County Review Period - August 18-September 1, 2026
8. EIS Need Decision (Negative Declaration) - September 1, 2026 (CB/GGP)
9. Distribute Decision Notice - September 8-15, 2026
10. EQB Monitor Publication of Final Decision - September 22, 2026
EAW Validity:
While an EAW does not expire under Minnesota Rules, the County must issue an EIS Need Decision within 30 days following the close of the comment period unless a mutually agreed extension is executed with the proposer. Failure to adopt an EIS Need Decision within this period would render the environmental review procedurally incomplete. Staff note that changes such as removing the trail would not require a new EAW, as removal reduces project impacts.
Key themes from public input include:
• Safety concerns regarding speeds, curves, lack of shoulders, and limited enforcement.
• Mixed views on the trail:
o Some support from cyclists and residents who noted high existing bicycle use and the safety value of separation from traffic.
o Many adjacent homeowners do not support a trail on their property side, expressing concerns about property impacts, crime, privacy, and littering.
• Roadway design: Desire for improved sightlines, turn lanes, and thoughtful driveway access; concerns about snowplowing with curbs and about property acquisition.
• Farm and rural character: Long-standing farm operators expressed concern that improvements could lead to increased speeds, traffic, and impacts to agricultural operations and rural quality of life.
• Trail-specific technical feedback emphasized the need for:
o Minimizing sharp trail-roadway turns
o Maintaining clear sightlines at crossings
o Ensuring shoulders or trail width accommodates group cycling (15-25 riders) if a trail is not feasible.
Overall, residents generally support addressing safety issues but remain divided on trail inclusion, particularly homeowners directly adjacent to the corridor.
Staff will provide an overview of the project and public engagement to date and seek confirmation of the Board’s previous direction to include the trail, or, if desired, updated direction to pursue one of the other design alternatives.
RECOMMENDATION
recommendation
Information only; no action requested.
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EXPLANATION OF FISCAL/FTE IMPACTS
☒ None ☐ Current budget ☐ Other
☐ Amendment Requested ☐ New FTE(s) requested
RESOLUTION
body
Information only; no action requested.
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PREVIOUS BOARD ACTION
None.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment: Location Map
Attachment: CSAH 54 Open House #2 Summary
Attachment: Presentation Slides
BOARD GOALS
☐ Thriving People ☐ A Healthy Environment with Quality Natural Resources
☒ A Successful Place for Business and Jobs ☐ Excellence in Public Service
CONTACT
Department Head: Erin Laberee
Author: Imran Ahmed