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Parks and RecreationDRAFT 5-71 <br />Trail Connections <br />The addition of trails will help shape community reinvestment and build vitality. <br />Interstate highways 35W and 694 bisect New Brighton and tend to separate the City <br />and neighborhoods. They also fragment community identity and present challenges <br />to walk-ability and trail connections. Opportunities to strengthen the bridges over or <br />under regional transportation corridors should continue to be a priority in future park <br />and trail system planning efforts. The addition of signature features in parks (park signs <br />and city park and trail system maps) can help build identity and sense of place. Parks <br />are also great locations for public art and community gateway features. <br />Greenway Concept <br />Many community members enjoy utilizing the parks but indicated they would like <br />to see connections between the parks throughout the city. A system of greenways <br />along natural water ways and choice roads would help connect not only the parks <br />and neighborhoods within New Brighton, but could also serve to connect the city to <br />regional trails and the robust trail system of Minneapolis and St. Paul. <br />Priorities and phasing for a greenway could be explored through an updated park <br />system plan. <br />A possible greenway system could include: <br /> »Wayfinding and signage to popular destinations <br /> »Usability for pedestrians, bicyclists, and other trail users <br /> »Connections over existing barriers, such as 694 and railroad crossings <br />As seen in Figure 5-17, the City adopted a Trails Master Plan in 2008. That plan <br />proposed a network of off-street multiuse trails along major road corridors of the City, <br />such as Silver Lake Road and Old Highway 8. Since that time, very few of the proposed <br />trails shown were built. Along with the need for a Master Plan of the Parks, New <br />Brighton 2040 has also shown the need for an update to the Trails Master Plan to be <br />integrated into the Parks Master Plan. This update should incorporate these identified <br />future trail system needs of trail connections and developing greenway cooridors. <br />""More greenways <br />please! as someone <br />that occasionally <br />commutes on bike, it <br />would be nice to have <br />a safe thoroughfare <br />for us to get us <br />safely through New <br />Brighton and into each <br />of the neighboring <br />communities. <br />(especially Silver Lake <br />road, which many of <br />us cyclists refer to as a <br />“death wish”)