At its August 2 meeting, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) of Commissioners approved an agreement with Continental Cement Company authorizing an easement for a new riverfront trail segment connecting Ole Olson Park and the 26th Avenue North Overlook.
In the agreement, the MPRB agrees to:
• Not use its power of eminent domain now or in the future to take any additional part of the Continental’s property without voluntary written consent.
• Not to seek or support any other governmental action which would restrict or remove Continental’s operations from the Continental property.
• Meet and confer with Continental about any trail expansion or other use on property immediately north of 26th Avenue North that may affect Continental’s current operations.
Continental Cement agrees to:
• Allow the MPRB to construct, operate and maintain a trail connection on an easement within Continental property. This includes constructing security, safety and screening improvements for the benefit of Continental and trail users.
• Not charge a fee to the MPRB for acquiring the permanent easement.
Trail Details: This project will create a new 1,000-foot trail connection to extend a popular riverfront regional trail past the end of West River Road and add new riverside experiences in North Minneapolis.
It will connect the 26th Avenue North Overlook, which opened in May 2021, to the downtown riverfront and the Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway, the 51-mile continuous bike/walk trail that encircles most of Minneapolis. It will also connect to the off-street trail on 26th Avenue North, which travels across all of North Minneapolis between the Mississippi River and Theodore Wirth Regional Park.
The new riverfront trail connection will travel underneath the railroad bridge between the two parks with separate bike and walk paths, an overlook deck, and river landing area to experience the Mississippi River. New river access created by the trail project might be used for picnicking, fishing, launching a canoe or kayak, or just taking in the river and skyline views.
Construction is expected to begin late this Fall and the new trail will open in 2024 or 2025.
See the project page at minneapolisparks.org/park-care-improvements/park-projects/current_projects/26th-ave-n-overlook-ole-olson-park-trail-connection/.