More access to the river for Northsiders!
A new riverfront trail segment connecting Ole Olson Park and the 26th Avenue North Overlook is on track to open this summer. This 1,000-foot trail connection extends a popular riverfront regional trail past the end of West River Road, traveling under the BNSF railroad bridge, and adds new Northside riverside experiences for all.
It will connect the 26th Avenue North Overlook, which opened in 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 all across the Northside between the Mississippi River and Theodore Wirth Regional Park.
The contractor working at Ole Olson Park experienced delays in steel delivery for a safety structure that would protect trail users below the BNSF bridge. This structure must be in place to ensure trail safety, so the trail connection will not open until it’s fully installed. The good news is that steel was to be delivered to the site in early May and assembled over the course of a few weeks.
While the steel work is taking place, a new water connection will be made in West River Road for a new drinking fountain in Ole Olson Park. Access will be maintained for local vehicles while work is happening in the road.
After the new water line is installed, there are several tasks before the project is fully complete: adjusting the grading under the BNSF bridge; completing electrical work; finishing concrete sidewalks and gathering areas; installing an overlook deck and site furnishings; paving the asphalt bicycle trail; and planting trees, shrubs, native plugs and seed.
The trail will open as soon as it’s safe for people to use. It may open while some of the work listed above is being finished.