District council favors Summit regional bike trail, with some suggestions

On Wednesday, more than 2,660 online petitions from across Minnesota had been submitted to Save Our Street, the group of Summit Avenue area neighbors dead-set against putting a regional trail down St. Paul's most historic street.

Turns out, the Summit Hill Association (SHA) — the area's district council made up of resident volunteers — isn't one of them.

In a letter to city and regional officials this week, the SHA board said it supports several aspects of the Summit Avenue Regional Trail plan, most notably creating a raised trail separated from vehicle traffic.

A separated trail runs counter to what Save Our Street has been advocating.

"I'm very happy. I'm incredibly happy," said Andy Singer, co-chair of the volunteer St. Paul Bicycle Coalition.

Gary Todd, a Summit resident and steering committee member for SOS, was not.

"The district council is supposed to represent the district," he said. "That's not what seems to be happening."

City officials say Summit needs to be rebuilt, with new underlying sewer, water, gas and electrical service. At the same time, regional and city officials are exploring ways to expand and improve connections for cyclists and walkers. Officials, who as yet have no money for any of it, would like to do the trail and road work simultaneously — section by section.

The disagreement is over whether St. Paul should replace its decades-old painted bike lanes with a separated, raised trail running in the street's existing right of way.

SOS has hired arborists who say as many as 1,000 of Summit's trees could be at risk because of the trail project — especially in areas where the road might be widened — endangering tree roots. SOS is calling for the road to be smoothed and on-road lanes to be better marked.

But city officials and trail advocates say the risks are exaggerated. No more trees are in danger than would be threatened by a road rebuild alone — in this case, about 200. Most of the trail would be in the existing right of way, they say. At the same time, a trail separated from traffic is safer for a wider range of cyclists of all ages and abilities.

Simon Taghioff, SHA board president, said in its recommendations, the board tried to balance a wide range of concerns. But a remade Summit with a safer and more popular trail "represents a generational opportunity because ultimately what makes great streets like Summit Avenue is they're not stuck in history, but they change and evolve and improve."

While the board agrees with plan goals such as minimizing changes to Summit's "structure and symmetry" and mitigating tree loss during construction, it also has questions, Taghioff said.

What is the plan for funding winter maintenance of the trail, while also clearing snow from Summit sidewalks? And what are the plans to update analysis on tree risks, traffic, pedestrian safety and lost parking?

"I think our goal is to be helpful for the city and to reflect and advocate for what we feel are legitimate concerns," he said.