The trail runs through Little Falls
By Tina Snell, Staff Writer
tina.snell@mcrecord.com
The Mississippi River Trail (MRT) is now a reality. It comes under the jurisdiction of, and is sponsored by, the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT). The state agency has envisioned and implemented a bicycle route, mostly on already established paved roads with little traffic, along the Mississippi River. It will stretch from lake Itasca to the Gulf of Mexico.
The Mississippi River Trail, established for bicycles only, is being established by the MnDOT and other states. It will run from Lake Itasca to the Gulf of Mexico.
Along with this vision, six cities in Minnesota, and 67 along the entire route, have been named “Enhanced Host Cities,” including Little Falls.
As an Enhanced Host City, Little Falls will receive marketing assistance from a MnDOT consultant which will focus on tourism for the portion of the trail north, south and through the city.
Chairman of the Camp Ripley/Veterans State Trail (CR/VST) Bob Reinitz said Dorian Grilley, an avid bicyclist, will also be assisting Little Falls in becoming a bicycle-friendly city. Grilley is sponsored by MnDOT and various bike manufacturers.
Since the MRT travels along state, county and township roads, it is not owned by any one entity. A collaborative will be formed to establish who will maintain it.
“Little Falls is centrally located and will host the other communities to design a maintenance plan,” said Reinitz.
On June 2, 2012, MnDOT will sponsor a statewide event commemorating the MRT. The Enhanced Host Cities will gather together as many bicyclists as they can to ride the route in their own areas.
Reinitz said the Central Minnesota Bike Club, based in Morrison County, will be one of the hosts for the local ride.
Randall Thoreson, the outdoor recreation planner for the National Park Service, is providing technical assistance to get the trail off the ground.
Thoreson is helping the host cities with strategic planning to implement the trail, assisting with writing vision and mission statements and providing expertise to improve communication between the various communities.
“I am helping the communities help themselves,” he said.
“Right now, bicyclists may follow the MRT to the Gulf of Mexico with a global positioning system,” said Reinitz. “But signs are expected to be in place through Minnesota by the spring of 2012. The route is finished.”
The MRT is a totally different program from the Camp Ripley/Veterans State Trail (CR/VST).
The CR/VST, that became a reality through state legislation in 2009, will be paved trails sponsored by the Department of Natural Resources. It will be open to both motorized and non-motorized traffic.
The MRT is in collaboration with 10 states and will be designed for bicyclists only. It will travel along current roadways, not paved trails.
There will be areas when the two trails will converge. As the CR/VST is completed, the MRT will incorporate various portions.
The CR/VST and the MRT are considered the most important trails in the state because they connect many of the currently established trails in the state, primarily the Paul Bunyan and the Soo Line trails. It will be the longest paved, off-road trail in the world: about 400 miles.
“People will come from all over the world to use the trails in Central Minnesota,” said Reinitz.
Little Falls Mayor Cathy VanRisseghem said it’s great to see the MRT finally opening.
“I have been working on that with MnDOT for about 22 years,” she said. “It will bring national recognition to Little Falls and put us on the map. There is a huge potential for economic growth for us and for the entire region.”
When trails were established in southern Minnesota, said Reinitz, the town of Lanesboro documented the impact they had on the city. Twenty years ago, there was one bed and breakfast in town, now there are 15, with another 15 hotels. In 1990, taxes from hotels brought in about $26,000, today they bring in $5 million, with another $11 million from restaurants and bars.
“The impact to Central Minnesota will be huge,” said Reinitz.
