"This will extend this connectivity all the way from the Gray's Bay Bridge and actually into [Hopkins], hooking in all the way across and all the way to The Marsh," Ward 3 Council Member Paula Ramaley said when the council awarded the construction contract, as the Sun Sailor reported.
If you've driven Minnetonka Boulevard near The Marsh lately, you've passed that connection being built. The cones, new retaining walls and fresh curb on the north side are the final segment of a paved trail the city has been putting together piece by piece. Once it's finished, a walk or ride on the boulevard trail between Hwy 101 and Hopkins Crossroad no longer runs into a missing segment.
The only gap left
The new segment runs along the north side of Minnetonka Boulevard from Tonkawood Road to The Marsh. In its January 2026 Minnetonka Memo, the city called it "the only missing trail segment between Hwy 101 and Hopkins Crossroad." The Sun Sailor's report gave the eastern end as Shady Oak Road. Either way, the stretch near The Marsh was the one break in an otherwise continuous line.
The piece just east of it, from Woodlawn Avenue to Tonkawood Road, was finished in 2023. This year's work closes the distance from Tonkawood to The Marsh.
What's going in is an 8-foot-wide paved trail shared by people walking and people on bikes. Public Works Director Will Manchester told the council the design also includes concrete curb and gutter, retaining walls, and "a shoulder for service vehicles and road cyclists." Faster riders who stay on the road get a shoulder, and people out for a walk get a trail separated from traffic.
Two crossings are part of the plan:
- Sussex Drive gets a new pedestrian crossing.
- The Mall gets an upgrade to the crossing the city installed there three years ago.
Former Mayor Brad Wiersum framed the project around safety in the same Memo: "having a completed trail, where you can walk, bike or run safely, really adds benefit to our residents."
Why the boulevard looked torn up for so long
Some residents have watched work on this corridor for more than a year, which can make the project seem longer than it is. Most of the early disruption was preparation. Power and communication lines were buried and gas mains replaced before trail construction began. The Memo says that prep work had been underway "since last spring."
The trail contract itself is newer. On March 23, 2026, the council awarded Project 26305 to Northwest for $1,415,777.11, the low bid among 12. The council also authorized total project spending within a $3.8 million budget. The staff report prepared for that meeting listed a $4.5 million capital improvement figure. The $3.8 million budget is the one the council approved in its final action.
Hennepin County added $500,000 through its Cost Participation and Partnerships program, which reduces the city's share. The construction contract accounts for about 37 percent of the $3.8 million budget, leaving roughly $2.38 million of authorized spending outside the bid itself. The county grant equals about a third of the construction contract and a little over 13 percent of the full budget.
The city ranks this segment sixth on its trail priority list and calls it a high-use stretch.
Where the work stands heading into late October
The city posts weekly updates on its Minnetonka Boulevard Trail project page. Here are the late-summer and fall milestones in order:
- September 4: retaining wall construction complete; grading for curb and trail continuing.
- September 25: wall painting complete, concrete driveway installation complete, curb and gutter installation continuing.
- October 1: trail grading and asphalt patching underway, with private utility relocation still in progress.
In its June notice, the city said construction would last "until fall." As of the October 1 update, there was still no posted date for final paving or opening. Until the city announces one, plan for traffic control changes on this stretch. The city's own updates repeat that drivers should watch for shifting traffic patterns. The project page also offers email updates if you'd like the next milestone sent to you.
What a continuous trail ties together
The Sun Sailor quoted the city as saying the route will provide access to businesses, a school and city buildings. For most Minnetonka households, the more useful question is which familiar places sit along the corridor. Here are four public ones on or near the boulevard:
| Place | Where | What's there |
|---|---|---|
| The Marsh | Eastern endpoint of the new segment | A wellness center whose café serves coffee and bakery items |
| Minnetonka Community Center | 14600 Minnetonka Blvd. | City events, talks and programs |
| Minnetonka Mills Park and the Charles H. Burwell historic site | 13209 E. McGinty Rd., near Minnetonka Boulevard and Plymouth Road along Minnehaha Creek | Historic grounds on the creek |
| Gray's Bay Causeway Park | Hwy 101 and North Gray's Bay Bridge | Fishing and off-street parking |
Those four places are why this short segment matters. A coffee stop at The Marsh, an evening program at the Community Center and an afternoon at the Burwell grounds have always been reachable by car. A continuous trail is what makes them reachable on foot or by bike for the neighborhoods along the boulevard, without a break where the path gives out.
Ramaley also said she hopes the trail eventually extends "to the City Center and to the other side of [Interstate-]494." That's an aspiration, not a scheduled project. For now, the boulevard segment is the piece with a contractor on site.
Two dates on the corridor this fall
The city calendar already has events at two of those destinations in the next few weeks.
Burwell Spooktacular, Friday, October 30, 5 to 7:30 p.m. The free evening on the Burwell House grounds at 13209 E. McGinty Road includes games, crafts, performers and food vendors, plus a sensory room.
Anton Treuer at the Community Center, Saturday, November 7, 1 to 3 p.m. The Ojibwe author will give a Native American Heritage Month presentation at 14600 Minnetonka Blvd., followed by a book signing.
There's also the yard work. The city's leaf and yard-waste drop-off runs through November 21, with expanded hours on Sundays, November 1, 8 and 15, and Fridays, November 6, 13 and 20.
What happens when the snow comes
A trail that opens in late fall is only useful in January if someone clears it. Minnetonka Public Works clears city-owned streets, sidewalks and trails. On its trails page, the city says most trails, approximately 81 miles, are maintained year-round. Clearing sidewalks and trails takes about three days after a snowfall. That's the citywide policy. The city's snowplowing page is the place to check how the new Tonkawood-to-Marsh segment fits into the winter routes once it's finished.
If you're thinking about how the Minnetonka Boulevard trail, or another corridor project, could affect a move you're planning, Tolle Real Estate Group is happy to talk it through with you. Schedule a Consultation whenever the timing feels right.
