Hit the Trail: Albertville Leaders and Wright County Discuss Grant that Could Expand City's Pathway System

Most of us out here in exurbia don’t have much of a choice on how we will get around: if we need to get somewhere, we hop in our motor vehicles.

Albertville city administrators spent Thursday evening soliciting advice from residents on how they can spend an $11,766 Live Wright grant from Wright County to help encourage active lifestyles among city residents.

 “I had some serious concerns that I would be here eating cookies by myself,” said Albertville’s city planner, Alan Brixius with a laugh. However, the meeting did bring in a handful of city residents in addition to much of the city staff, and people could speak with city administrators and the mayor as and specifically point out areas they would like to see trails and pathways.

 “We’re reassessing our sidewalk and trail system from the standpoint of promoting greater pedestrian and bicycle access to the community,” Brixius said. Their two-pronged approach seeks to provide residents with opportunities to use trails and pathways for physical fitness purposes as well as for general transportation opportunities in lieu of motor vehicles

 Some of the city’s main goals are to set up a circuit, or loop, for people to walk around for exercise, as well as pedestrian systems set up to help people get to key locations in the community, such as schools, parks and business areas. One key project they want to complete, for example, is the trail down County Road 18 all the way to the .

Though the grant is small, Brixius said it allows the city to lay out a city-wide sidewalk and trail plan. Gleaning information from residents is a key piece to creating that plan, he said, so they can plan for future projects based on what Albertville residents want and need.

For those who would like to give input on this subject but missed yesterday’s meeting, there will be a town hall meeting from 8 to 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 9, at

The county, which gave Albertville this grant, is also using grant money of their own to fund trail and bikeways projects that connect Wright County. They have hired Greg Ingraham of the land planning and design group HKGI to develop a pedestrian transportation plan for Wright County, which will be completed by June.

The funding to complete this plan comes from the Minnesota Statewide Health Improvement Program, which strives to help state residents to incorporate physical activity into the routine of daily life through creating options for people to do so. Ingraham is currently looking for suggestions from county residents and thus far has had over 100 people complete a brief online survey to complete that goal. The questionnaire can be found here.

 “We’re looking for design standards and recommendations for priorities,” Ingraham said, adding the county hopes to connect the finer-grain trail systems of individual cities throughout the county, allowing people to have a door-to-door trail experience by linking destinations. “We want to plan for the future … it’s going to take a long time to realize this plan, but you have to have a plan to start it all.”