Construction on the Paul Bunyan Trail

Since the mid-80's, the Paul Bunyan Trail has gone from a dream to a reality with almost 30 years of planning and construction to complete the 120-mile MN Bike Trail.

Completed:	Bemidji Area Projects in 2001 Pave a 2 mile segment from the Mississippi river bridge along the East side of Lake Bemidji on RR grade into city of Bemidji. State bonding funded. $400,000

Completed:	Concrete bridge over Bemidji bypass. 4 lanes of highway - 2 spans with pier in median. Concrete decks. Prospect cost $800,000. T-21 plus bonding. 2001 complete.

Completed:	Single span concrete bridge over County road 197 (Washington Ave) Concrete deck. Cost $400,000. Bonding and DOT funded. 2001.

Completed:	Cass Lake Area 2002 U.S.F.S. projects develop and pave 8.7 mile trail around Pike Bay of Cass Lake to connect with Heartland State Trail. T-21 and U.S.F.S. funds project cost $600,000.

Completed:	Heartland State Trail, Walker to Cass Lake 18 miles. 2001. TEA 21 and bonding. $1.2 million.

Completed:	Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway 2001 Construction of 12.7 miles of paved shoulders on CSAH 16 from Jenkins to Crosslake $350,000 T-21 funded with match from local community.

Completed:	2003 proposed paved shoulders 4.8 miles on CSAH 11 from Pequot Lakes to Breezy Point $160,000. T-21 applied for.

Completed:	Baxter Area Baxter segments of Paul Bunyan State Trail complete in 2000. 8 miles funded by City of Baxter, local trail grants and MN DOT.

Completed:	Baxter Hwy. 371/210 Tunnel Underpass/Trail scheduled for 2002. Project cost $450,000 (approx.). T-21 funding approved as high-priority demonstration project. Local match; MN DOT, DNR, Crow Wing County, Cities of Baxter and Brainerd.

Completed:	Brainerd Highway Bridge New 4-lane highway bridge over Mississippi River includes a 12' trail lane separated from motor vehicle traffic by a 2 1/2' concrete barricade. Added cost to bridge project $600,000. Funded by MN DOT. Open August 2000.

Completed:	1998 Minnesota statute extends the Paul Bunyan Trail from Baxter South to Crow Wing State Park approximately 5 miles. Routes under consideration.

Completed:	Morrison County, Crow Wing Township, and Crow Wing County. Citizen's committee working with MN DOT on future trail alignment to Little Falls for a regional trail connection form Crow Wing State Park to Lake Wobegon regional trail via Little Falls to Holdingford.

Completed:	2000 legislative request; 1.4 million dollars to connect the PBST from Hackensack to Heartland State Trail through 18 miles of the Chippewa National Forest. Total project cost $2.6 million. $1 million from 98 bonding. To be completed 2002.