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Shoreview Green Community Transportation Committee <br />And <br />Sierra Club North Star Chapter Transportation Committee <br />Proposal for North-South Transportation Bikeways in Ramsey County <br />March 2007 <br />Goal: To develop safe and efficient north-south transportation bikeways in North <br />Suburban Ramsey County. <br />Issue Statement: Many residents in Northern Ramsey County share an interest in <br />limiting motor vehicle miles traveled and finding and using alternative forms of <br />commuting to work. Their efforts are severely hampered by a lack of safe, accessible <br />bikeways. (Please refer to the Metropolitan Council Bicycle Map and Commuter Guide <br />of May 2001 and the January 2007 Ramsey County Trail Proposal Map.) <br />These maps illustrate that there are no existing or proposed "good" complete <br />transportation bikeways from the northern suburbs to downtown St. Paul or other <br />destinations in the City of St. Paul. <br />This lack of safe bikeways also affects students getting to and from schools, libraries, <br />parks, and after school activities. For example, within 1/2 mile of Highway 36, there are <br />eight schools in the two miles between 35 E and just west of Dale St. as follows: <br />1) Park View Center Elementary <br />2) Central Park Elementary <br />3) Concordia Academy <br />4) King of Kings <br />5) Roseville Area Middle School <br />6) Capitol View Learning Center <br />7) Tri-District Elementary; and <br />8) Minnesota Waldorf <br />Between Hamline and Edgerton there are four additional schools, including: <br />1) Roseville Area High School <br />2) Saint Rose of Lima <br />3) Saint Jerome; and <br />4) Edgerton Elementary <br />In addition to safety concerns for students, the lack of available bikeways serves to <br />discourage physical activity that would help to counter the childhood obesity epidemic. <br />Addressing this issue is a key focus of the federal Safe Routes to School program. <br />