The State of Minnesota has a program to provide grants to local units of government to promote relatively short trail connections between where people live and desirable locations. Applications for this "Local Trail Connections Program" that is administered by the Minnesota Department of Transportation are due by March 31, 2018. Projects must begin promptly after award (scheduled July 2018) and must be complete no later than June 30, 2020.

The City of Shakopee has two potential trail projects that could benefit from and be competitive in this grant program. The 12th Avenue trail and County State Aid Highway (CSAH) 16 trail projects are currently prescribed in the city's Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). The 12th Avenue project was recently advanced by the City Council from 2020 to 2018-19 with a revised budget of $896,000 (see attached CIP summary sheet). The CSAH 16 trail project is planned to be constructed in 2019 with a budget of $160,000 (see attached CIP summary sheet). With council's approval, grant applications will be submitted for each of these projects.

Any awarded grant amount would reduce the overall amount of city funding for each project, respectively. The CSAH 16 trail project grant request amount is $120,000 and the 12th Avenue trail amount is $150,000. The grant limits funding amounts to 75% of the project amount, up to a maximum of $150,000.