Visitors will soon be able to walk or ride the final segment of the 28-mile Mississippi River Greenway.
Completion of the last 2-mile connection will make it possible to travel a continuous route from Hastings to St. Paul.
County leaders were joined by state, federal and city partners to celebrate the connection Oct. 22 at Spring Lake Park Reserve's Fahey Trailhead. Some construction work remains along the segment. It is expected to open for public use in November.
The greenway passes through six communities along the Mississippi River — Hastings, Nininger Township, Rosemount, Inver Grove Heights, South St. Paul and St. Paul. The greenway provides safer access to parks, schools, businesses and natural areas along the river.
“This will be a wonderful connection for walkers, for bikers, for park visitors and our communities all along the greenway," Dakota County Commissioner Mike Slavik said.
Mississippi River is Dakota County's most-visited greenway and runs through Spring Lake Park Reserve, home to the county's bison herd and scenic blufftop views of the river.
Dakota County Commissioner Bill Droste said the project required persistence of county and city staff over many years and the support of local businesses along the route, including Flint Hills Resources, CF Industries and Mosaic.
Not only does the greenway connect six communities across 28 miles, but the new segment includes safety measures, Droste said. That includes an underpass and improved railroad crossings.
“It's important to all of our communities," he said.
The project was supported with $6.7 million in federal funds.
“I am just so extraordinarily grateful to have been part of that federal partnership, working with the state, to be able to bring these kinds of dollars back to our community," U.S. Rep. Angie Craig said.
State lawmakers approved an additional $1.9 million to complete the greenway connection with bipartisan support.
“It takes all of us to get something like this done," state Rep. John Huot. Others who attended were state Rep. Rick Hansen, state Sens. Erin Maye Quade and Jim Carlson, and former state Rep. Tony Jurgens.
Completing the greenway connection also required local support.
“This whole thing doesn't happen if we don't have that level of partnership with our local city officials," Dakota County Board Chair Joe Atkins said.