Beginning in 2003, in the early days of the Midtown Greenway, Paul Nelson would show his dedication by cycling across the busy Lake Street-Marshall Avenue Bridge to Minneapolis with a dustpan and small broom tied to his bicycle to sweep up broken glass.

Nelson, of St. Paul, became known as a quiet savior — one of many — of the pedestrian-bicycle route that runs roughly parallel to Lake Street. He dreamed the corridor would catch on and someday be extended across the Mississippi River to Minnesota’s capital city.

So far, half those dreams have come true. The 5.5-mile Midtown Greenway railway corridor can exceed 5,000 cyclists a day through South Minneapolis, making it the most heavily used and celebrated bikeway in the state.

But now, a new report prepared for the Midtown Greenway Coalition’s “Extend the Greenway” partnership maps out four scenarios where an existing railroad bridge might support an extension of the Greenway, which could cross the Mississippi and reach at least as far as Cleveland or Prior avenues in St. Paul for its initial expansion.

“The bridge is the key,” said Soren Jensen, executive director of the coalition.

NEW OPTIMISM

Owned by the Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority and maintained by the city of Minneapolis, the Midtown Greenway runs along an old rail corridor, mostly above and below street grade, separating it from motorists.

Construction cranes continue to flock to the Greenway, installing an estimated $1 billion of private real estate development along the corridor, much of it high-end housing.

If the bridge over the river becomes a reality, the trail could continue along the existing rail line into St. Paul. From Cleveland or Prior avenues, cyclists could follow existing St. Paul bikeways along St. Anthony Avenue, Charles Avenue and other corridors, allowing access to soccer games at Allianz Field, activities at Como Park and other major destinations.

The so-called Short Line railroad bridge has been considered before, but with less optimism.

In 2006, Hennepin County’s efforts to study the Canadian Pacific Railroad bridge north of the Lake Street-Marshall Avenue Bridge as a possible link were hamstrung by the railroad company itself, which refused to allow engineers to complete an inspection.

“While they did not allow engineers access to the bridge itself, they were willing to discuss the idea,” Jensen said.

A study at the time estimated that an entirely new bridge over the river would have to be constructed, at a big price tag. Another alternative would be to have Hennepin County buy the aging railroad bridge outright and assume all liabilities. Planning ended there.

Fast forward 13 years. On Thursday, members of the Midtown Greenway Coalition’s “Extend the Greenway” partnership — a consortium of some 35 member agencies — gathered at the Hamline-Midway Library to hear more promising news.

THIS TIME, THEY USED DRONES

Jensen, the coalition’s executive director, released a new feasibility report from St. Paul-based Kimley-Horn & Associates that revisits the possibility of using the existing Canadian Pacific bridge to get pedestrians and cyclists across the river.

Again, engineers did not go onto the century-old structure, but airborne drones and cutting-edge photo imagery and modeling technology allowed the consultants to complete a general inspection and formulate some estimates.

Canadian Pacific, which owns the 1902 bridge, averages one train per day across the structure, serving just one major customer along Hiawatha Avenue/Minnesota 55.

The report outlines these scenarios:

Freight travel along the bridge — which spans 1,076 feet — may decline further, raising the possibility that Canadian Pacific would be willing to abandon the structure altogether, though the report states “the timing of this scenario is unknown and may not be on the near-term horizon.” (Estimated cost: $7.4 million)

Freight rail and cyclists could be separated by a 10-foot tall metal railing. That assumes the railroad is willing to share its right-of-way and allow the required bridge improvements. (Estimated cost: $9.9 million)

The railroad bridge could be reconstructed on the existing river piers and abutments, allowing freight and cyclists to operate on either side of a 10-foot tall railing on a new structure. (Estimated cost: $27.5 million)

A new bridge deck could be added to allow cyclists and pedestrians to travel above the freight trains. (Estimated cost: $22.4 million)

Given the consultants’ limited access to the bridge itself and the vagaries of competitive bidding contracts, “there’s a lot of costs we don’t know,” Jensen said.

On the Minneapolis side, the Midtown Greenway could be connected to Minnehaha Park along the same rail line — the future “Min Hi Line” — which would parallel Hiawatha Avenue/Minnesota 55.

The bridge sits entirely within Hennepin County, which owns the Greenway and is seen in the feasibility report as the primary driver of whatever outcome is ultimately pursued. Coalition members believe the future of the corridor rests largely with the political establishment, but they hope continued awareness will galvanize public pressure and move the extension forward.

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With new shops and street improvements, Saturday’s ‘Rice and LarpenTOUR’ showcases three cities “We’re really trying to build the excitement,” said coalition board member Dan Cross. “It’s up to the politicians. As the public becomes more aware, the county probably won’t have much choice but to move on it.”

For his part, Nelson is optimistic, even if it means heading back out with a bike and a broom to do some tidying.

“What I see is there’s a good possibility of being able to do this,” said Nelson, a respiratory therapist who lives in the Hamline-Midway neighborhood.

Clarification: This story has been updated with more specific bike traffic figures for the Midtown Greenway.