06.03 Comprehensive Plan Update - Laserfiche WebLink

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TRANSPORTATION I NTENT Maintain a transportation system that provides for a variety of safe and flexible mobility options for people and businesses operating within the City, as well as provides for safe, high-speed access to the surrounding economic region all at a cost that is financially responsible to taxpayers. BACKGROUND The original Leech Lake Trail provided basic access to the outside world that helped establish the early City of Pequot,after being used by Native Americans to travel from the southern part of the state through the area.The Leech Lake Trail was simply widened and became the original Highway 371. The City grew during the rail era, which is visible in the development pattern of the downtown and surrounding areas.Lots are established in a grid pattern,which is characteristic of development in the rail era. The town adapted fairly easily to the automobile. Highway 371 ran through the City two blocks east of the railroad.New development sprang up along this corridor.The area between the highway and the rail line thrived to one degree or another until the rail was discontinued and the highway was realigned. The realignment in the early 1950's was an attempt to upgrade the highway to modern standards and increase the capacity. Development patterns shifted west of the abandoned rail line and highway.The old alignment became County Road 112 and more recently Rasmussen Road. City streets have developed in a mainly piecemeal fashion. In the historic grid portion of the City, many of the streets are paved,but few sidewalks or other pedestrian walkways have been put in. The area surrounding downtown Pequot Lakes,what was Sibley Township,has developed with a different pattern.Old winding trails to lake cabins have been adapted to one degree or another as local roadways. Most of these are substandard in that they lack dedicated public right of way—they exist in a collection of prescriptive easements. The fourth incarnation of the original Leech Lake Trail is manifested in the Trunk Highway 371 Expressway which was completed in 2017 just east of town. Those improvements were in response to increasing traffic counts as well as safety concerns. HIGHWAY 371 - The Highway 371 Expressway was completed in 2017 and is located along the easterly border of Downtown Pequot Lakes. Safety concerns for motorists created the need for this increased roadway corridor. The new four lane expressway from Nisswa to Jenkins provides enhanced connectivity to more populous areas,while providing safe and efficient travel to the City of Pequot Lakes for those that visit and work in our community. Future developments of the City's road system should capitalize on this new alignment that allows for ease of access and intra-city travel. 1