A new connection: Robert Piram Regional Trail completed
Dakota County and City of Saint Paul celebrate link between Harriet Island and South St. Paul
Pedestrians and bicyclists have a new, safe trail to explore along the Mississippi River from Harriet Island in downtown St. Paul to Dakota County with the opening of the Robert Piram Regional Trail.
Leaders from Dakota County and the cities of Saint Paul and South St. Paul gathered Wednesday, July 30 to celebrate completion of the 3.7-mile trail from Harriet Island to Kaposia Landing Park in South St. Paul. The trail provides access to a network of trails in Saint Paul, and it includes improvements to the connection between Lilydale Park trail and the Big Rivers Regional Trail in northern Dakota County.
“The impact of the new Robert Piram Regional Trail is significant, spanning to adjacent neighborhoods, surrounding parks and trails and beyond,” said Saint Paul City Councilmember Rebecca Noecker.
The trail also is an important gateway to Dakota County’s trail system, including the Mississippi River Greenway, River to River Greenway and Big Rivers Regional Trail.
“There are so many recreational possibilities with this trail,” Dakota County Commissioner Kathleen Gaylord said. “We’ve taken another big step toward developing a wonderful regional network of greenways for residents and visitors to enjoy.”
The trail includes a pedestrian overpass bridge approaching Kaposia Landing Park and two boardwalk bridges in Saint Paul. It also serves as a vital link in the multi-state Mississippi River Trail (MRT), which begins at the Mississippi River headwaters in Itasca State Park and runs south along the river to the Gulf of Mexico.
The trail is named after the late Robert Piram, a former Saint Paul Parks and Recreation director who spent 38 years with the city. Piram created the framework for what is now a fully developed system of parks and trails along the river.
The Robert Piram Regional Trail was supported with federal, state and local funds from the City of Saint Paul, Dakota County, Ramsey County, Metropolitan Council, Minnesota Legacy funds, Federal Highway Administration and the National Park Service. Total project cost was $8.6 million.
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Contacts:
Dakota County: Mary Beth Schubert, 651-438-8179, marybeth.schubert@co.dakota.mn.us
City of Saint Paul: Clare Cloyd, 651-266-6369, clare.cloyd@ci.stpaul.mn.us