Nearly 70 participants attend Gunflint Trail Visioning Session

The Cook County Highway Department hosted a Gunflint Trail Visioning Session on Dec. 15 with an opportunity for participants to attend in person or via zoom.

Nearly 20 individuals attended the in-person session at Schapp Community Center at Mid-Trail. The online session experienced an increased participation rate, with almost 50 people who were unable or unwilling to travel in the winter snowstorm.

In total, nearly 70 individuals attended the visioning session. Participants included Cook County residents, Gunflint Trail lodge owners, Gunflint Trail Scenic Byway Committee members, Cook County Commissioners, and many others.

The intent of the meeting was for the Cook County Highway Department to source and utilize feedback from community members to help create a vision for improvements to the Gunflint Trail. Robbie Hass, Cook County highway engineer, hopes to secure a $25 million federal grant for the needed improvements.

Improvements include adding additional pullouts and turning lanes to help increase public safety along the 57-mile historical trail.

Hass said 95% of the $25 million federal grant is intended for resurfacing the road. He added, “It’s a housekeeping project. It’s a preservation project.”

However, before finalizing the remaining 5% of the project, the Cook County Highway Department seeks public input.

Hass said it was “amazing the fact that we had close to 70 people showing up to provide input. I love it. I wish every project would be like that.”

While the meeting received a great turnout, Hass said the in-person and online sessions had two very different experiences.

Hass said the in-person session was engaging and interactive. Participants looked at maps and provided suggestions for potential pull off and additional safety upgrades.

However, the online participants had a different experience.

“I think a word when I’ve tried to distill it down has been passion,” Hass said. “I think that’s a good way to describe it.”

Despite the outlined perimeters of the intended project, numerous online participants voiced their preference for establishing a pedestrian-friendly walking path adjacent to the Gunflint Trail. Hass said the conversation in the online session transitioned into concerns about preserving the natural integrity of the trail and its historic qualities.

Following the discussion and public input from the online session, Hass said establishing a pedestrian-friendly walkway along the Gunflint Trail is not a reality. He added, “it’s not happening.”

During the session, Hass said concerns regarding public safety for motorists and pedestrians at Mid-Trail were apparent.

“I think addressing those pedestrian concerns is going to be presented at our next meeting,” he said.

The official date for the next meeting is Jan. 26. The meeting will be more structured but will still have an in-person and zoom option. The in-person meeting will be held at Schaap Community Center from 6-8 p.m.

To submit a comment regarding infrastructure improvements on the Gunflint Trail, email Cook County highway engineer Robbie Hass:
robert.hass@co.cook.mn.us

WTIP’s Kalli Hawkins spoke with Robbie Hass, Cook County highway engineer, following the first Gunflint Trail Visioning Session. Audio from the interview is below.

Kalli Hawkins December 27, 2022