TrailPatrol
05-11-2004, 08:06 AM
Trail closures announced
Portions of the Luce Line Trail in western Hennepin and eastern Carver Counties will be closed for periods of time this spring and summer to permit necessary maintenance and construction on the popular biking and hiking route.
The entire 20-mile segment of the trail from Vicksburg Lane in Plymouth to Watertown will be resurfaced with a new layer of crushed limestone.
Ditches along some parts of the trail also will be improved as part of the resurfacing project. Users are asked to stay off portions of the trail that are under construction.
The parallel treadway for horseback riding will remain open, but riders are reminded that they are prohibited from the main trail at all times, except when crossing bridges.
Work is expected to begin around May 1, with completion targeted for August 31.
The replacement of two bridges as part of highway construction projects also may cause some inconvenience for Luce Line Trail users.
Construction of a new Highway 12 corridor will necessitate removal of the Burlington Northern truss bridge in Long Lake and construction of a new bridge with a longer span. To accommodate that work the trail will be closed between Highway 12 and the truss bridge from about April 1 to mid-September.
Just east of Watertown, the Carver County Highway 10 bridge, which passes over the trail, also will be replaced this summer. That portion of the trail will be closed for five to six months beginning in May, but a detour will be provided.
Stretching 63 miles across a varied landscape from Plymouth to Cosmos, the Luce Line State Trail is a popular recreational amenity for people in Hennepin, Carver, McLeod, and Meeker Counties.
A summer 1998 user survey estimated 65,120 total seasonal user hours, mostly by cyclists and walkers. During the winter months the trail is enjoyed by cross-country skiers and snowmobilers.
For periodic updates on the status of summer construction as it relates to the trail, users may contact DNR area trails and waterways supervisor Martha Reger at 952-826-6769.
Portions of the Luce Line Trail in western Hennepin and eastern Carver Counties will be closed for periods of time this spring and summer to permit necessary maintenance and construction on the popular biking and hiking route.
The entire 20-mile segment of the trail from Vicksburg Lane in Plymouth to Watertown will be resurfaced with a new layer of crushed limestone.
Ditches along some parts of the trail also will be improved as part of the resurfacing project. Users are asked to stay off portions of the trail that are under construction.
The parallel treadway for horseback riding will remain open, but riders are reminded that they are prohibited from the main trail at all times, except when crossing bridges.
Work is expected to begin around May 1, with completion targeted for August 31.
The replacement of two bridges as part of highway construction projects also may cause some inconvenience for Luce Line Trail users.
Construction of a new Highway 12 corridor will necessitate removal of the Burlington Northern truss bridge in Long Lake and construction of a new bridge with a longer span. To accommodate that work the trail will be closed between Highway 12 and the truss bridge from about April 1 to mid-September.
Just east of Watertown, the Carver County Highway 10 bridge, which passes over the trail, also will be replaced this summer. That portion of the trail will be closed for five to six months beginning in May, but a detour will be provided.
Stretching 63 miles across a varied landscape from Plymouth to Cosmos, the Luce Line State Trail is a popular recreational amenity for people in Hennepin, Carver, McLeod, and Meeker Counties.
A summer 1998 user survey estimated 65,120 total seasonal user hours, mostly by cyclists and walkers. During the winter months the trail is enjoyed by cross-country skiers and snowmobilers.
For periodic updates on the status of summer construction as it relates to the trail, users may contact DNR area trails and waterways supervisor Martha Reger at 952-826-6769.