Minneapolis Park Board sets sights on closing the ‘missing link’ of the Grand Rounds Scenic Byway

More than 140 years ago, landscape architect Horace W.S. Cleveland pitched his idea for a continuous “green necklace” of parkway encircling Minneapolis.

In the next 10 to 20 years, his vision may finally be fully realized.

Cleveland’s pitch eventually grew into what is now the Grand Rounds Scenic Byway – a 51-mile trail system that almost circles the entire city.

The missing link that has persisted for years is now the focus of a renewed effort by the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB).

“This is a really exciting project,“ said Julie Aldrich, the manager of the project. ”We’re providing a way for people to get out and about and move from, let’s say, all the way up in St. Anthony Village to the riverfront.”

If fully realized, it would add trails and greenspace over a stretch that would link Grand Rounds trails from the Mississippi River up to Sunset Cemetery.

Here’s what to know about the Grand Rounds Missing Link project:

The project would create trails that run through the Prospect Park, Como, Mid-City Industrial and Saint Anthony areas.

Along the trail system would be additional trees and spaces for volleyball, bocce ball and other activities, design concepts show.

The project also considers constructing a potential bridge crossing, called the “Granary Crossing,” that would take users over the major railyards that separate Como and Prospect Park. Construction of such a bridge would be a long-term and multiagency effort, according to Aldrich, the project’s manager for the MPRB.

A study to determine the bridge’s feasibility is planned.

Overall, the project could take up to 20 years to complete, with segments constructed over time.

Aldrich said some segments could begin construction in two to five years, but she could not say which would likely be built first.

The Granary Crossing could take around 20 years to complete because it would be a “significant and costly endeavor,” Aldrich said.

The MPRB estimates the full project to cost nearly $30 million.

Aldrich said the project is currently funded with $6 million for near-term design, land acquisition and construction.

A number of plans were development but went nowhere over the last 100 years to complete the Grand Rounds, according to the MPRB. There was momentum in 2009 among community members and the MPRB, but a proposal was never adopted by the Metropolitan Council because of a lack of interagency support for the trail route.

That proposal was revisited in 2019 as part of a planning effort around all Minneapolis neighborhood parks east of the Mississippi River. An updated plan for the Grand Rounds was then adopted by the MPRB and the Metropolitan Council.

The Minnesota state legislature provided $5.5 million to the project as part of a 2023 state infrastructure bill. That same year, the MPRB began prioritizing funding for unfinished regional park projects, such as the Grand Rounds.

The MPRB hosted an open house for the missing link project March 10, where it shared concept designs and asked for the public’s feedback.

Five residents who live near the project’s target area spoke to the Minnesota Star Tribune and were enthusiastic about its potential.

“I think it’s a good plan to get better connectivity,” said Ethan Buss, a graduate student at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. “This would provide really good connections for people that live in Como. There are a ton of students in Como.”

Residents said the trail would make their neighborhood more friendly to bikers and walkers and add needed green space.

“I think it will be statistically safer and more welcoming,” said Kurt Franke, 68. “Welcoming and encouraging – kind of hard to put a dollar sign on that.”

Aldrich said the MPRB will spend the next several months working on cost estimates and determining a phased implementation plan. More information is expected to be shared with the public this summer.