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Politics & Government

Richfield Transportation Commission Discusses Plans to Turn 63rd Street into Greenway

The greenway project would connect East Richfield parks and a Three River's regional trail while also promoting healthy living.

Soon residents may see a transformed 63rd Street into a place that discourages city traffic while granting bike riders and walkers greater access tocity parks.

It's called the 63rd Street Greenway Project and its latest concept plans were the topic of the Richfield Transportation Commission Wednesday meeting.

Transportation Engineer Jeff Pearson said the greenway would connect and using 63rd Street and eventually connect to the Three Rivers Park District Intercity Regional Trail through Taft Park and would be a way to promote active living in the area.

He said with the trail being connected to Veterans Memorial Park, users of the trail would be given easy acces to activities such as the and the park's Fourth of July celebration, as well as bike rentals and mini-golf. It is also intended to connect Richfield residents to the regional trail.

"So, if you live in the core of Richfield, you have a safer, more appealing way to get out onto the regional trail," he said.

Plans for the greenway would essentially transform 63rd Street into a corridor consisting of biking and walking paths with enough road space for local traffic, adding greenery to areas surrounding the roadway and closing the street to through traffic.

Pearson said the greenway would promote an active living environment, though plans for how it will look are still being considered.

"Interpretations for the greenway are pretty broad," he said. "Really we don't exactly know and we want it to be a community process and we know it must service the residents that are on 63rd Street. There are 17 driveways that have been identified that go out onto 63rd, so we have to make sure that they still have access in some way."

There are currently three different project concepts for the greenway: One includes reducing the roadway down to 18 feet, which Pearson said is about the same width as Pleasant Avenue along the railroad tracks, and adding green features that could include trees, rain gardens and planting areas. Another concept includes making 63rd Street into an alley and adding greenery along with a bike trail and pedestrian path. A third concept places planters in the middle of 63rd Street to block vehicles from going through and opening the road up for bikes.

"[With the third concept you wouldn't] have a dedicated path for the bikes but you've basically eliminated through traffic," Pearson said.

Richfield City Councilmember At-Large Sue Sandahl said she is in support of the greenway as an effort that would improve the overall look and feel of what is generally considered to be an unattractive part of Richfield.

"I think it would be an amenity for the neighborhood," Sandahl said. "Having more green is always a plus."

Commissioner Gail Lund said she was concerned that the project would do little to help 63rd Street given that the area also has considerable air traffic noise.

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"I'm not against it, I do like it," Lund said. "I'm just hoping that we do as much on the west side."

Currently plans for the regional trail mentioned before are still in the planning process as well. Richfield Patch will continue to follow the progression of both projects. Since the July 2011 meeting was cancelled, the commission will next meet at 7 p.m. Aug. 3 at .

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