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= MINiyFso9 <br /> Minnesota Department of Natural Resources <br /> w <br /> I ,cy <br /> NAD318 Brainerd Area Trails & Waterways, 1601 Minnesota Drive, Brainerd, MN 56401 <br /> Phone: 218/828-6081 FAX: 218/828-6011 <br /> March 7, 2001 <br /> Cathy Malecha <br /> City of Pequot Lakes Sibley Township <br /> P.O. Box 361 P.O. Box 239 <br /> Pequot Lakes,MN 56472 Pequot Lakes,MN 56472 <br /> RE: HWY. 371 BACKAGE ROADS PROPOSAL <br /> Tim Houle, from Widseth Smith and Nolting(WSN), has requested comment from the <br /> Minnesota Department of Natural Resources regarding the September 2000 proposal for Trunk <br /> Hwy. 371 backage roads in Sibley Township south of Pequot Lakes. Following is preliminary <br /> Trails and Waterways Unit comment on this proposal's immediate impact on the Paul Bunyan <br /> State Trail. This correspondence does not consider primary and secondary impacts to other <br /> natural resources including East Twin and West Twin Lakes, or secondary impacts to the Paul <br /> Bunyan Trail by future widening of Hwy. 371 north or south of the proposed project. <br /> 1) The Paul Bunyan Trail right-of-way is 100 feet wide in the vicinity of the backage roads <br /> project. If the trail is relocated to accommodate the backage roads, then the new right-of <br /> -way needs to be at least 100 feet wide. <br /> 2) Mr. Houle indicated that ditch sections would be developed along with the backage <br /> roads. Trails and Waterways would like to see a ditch design outside of the trail right-of- <br /> way that accommodates snowmobiles. This would allow studded snowmobiles to use the <br /> road ditches, thereby protecting the paved surface of the Paul Bunyan Trail. <br /> 3) The abandonded railroad grade occupied by the Paul Bunyan Trail provides superior <br /> surface drainage characteristics. If the Paul Bunyan Trail is relocated to accommodate <br /> the backage roads,then the new trail design should replicate the superior drainage <br /> characteristics of the abandoned railroad grade. <br /> 4) For safety reasons, Trails and Waterways has an interest in limiting the number of <br /> crossings of the trail, no less than MNDOT's interest in controlling access to the trunk <br /> highway. If the Paul Bunyan Trail is relocated to accommodate the backage roads, then <br /> Trails and Waterways will need to reserve the right to approve any new crossings of the <br /> trail. Further, any future potential crossings of the trail should be identified in advance, <br /> and platted for consolidated access to any future developments that would require a trail <br /> crossing. In effect,this might result in a second backage road to the east of the trail that <br /> would accommodate any subsequent development. <br /> DNR Information: 651-296-6157 • 1-888-646-6367 • TTY: 651-296-5484 • 1-800-657-3929 <br /> An Equal Opportunity Employer Printed on Recycled Paper Containing a <br /> • <br /> Who Values Diversity WO Minimum of 10%Post-Consumer Waste <br />