Safe Routes to School

Overview 

The City of Shorewood has long been pursuing a pedestrian connection from the Galpin Lake Road at the Chanhassen border to the signalized intersection of Oak Street/CSAH 19 along TH 7 in Excelsior. In 2022, the city was awarded and completed the Planning - Safe Routes to School Grant. MnDOT has completed a Safety Audit of TH 7 and is planning to complete a Corridor Study along TH 7 in 2024.

This effort has advanced through several key planning steps. In 2022, the City completed the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Planning Grant , and in 2025, MnDOT finished a TH 7 Safety Audit and Corridor Study. Together, these studies provide the foundation for future grant applications aimed at improving safety for both pedestrians and drivers along the corridor. Building on this work, City staff applied for a SRTS Implementation Grant to construct a shared-use path from Hwy 7 and Galpin Lake Road to Oak Street. 

2026 Project Details 

In late 2025, the City was awarded $468,000 for the SRTS Implementation Grant project-construction of a shared-use path from Hwy 7 and Galpin Lake Road to Oak Street. 

The project includes an eight-foot shared use path that will run from Galpin Lake Road to the existing trail crossing at Oak Street/CSAH 19. The path will be located on the lakeside of the existing guardrail, and retaining walls will be required to support construction in this area. Work is planned for summer 2026, with the goal of completing the trail before the start of the school year. 

This grant does not include a sidewalk or trail along Galpin Lake Road itself, as the City is still evaluating options to improve the pedestrian connection to the Chanhassen border. 

Updates

Updates about this project will be communicated via email and the Shore Report. Sign up to receive email updates.