Veterans Memorial Greenway, Eagan and Inver Grove Heights
The Veterans Memorial Greenway (formerly Rich Valley Greenway) is a proposed regional trail and open space corridor that will provide a link between Lebanon Hills Regional Park and the Mississippi River in central Dakota County. The greenway will provide recreation for residents of Eagan and Inver Grove Heights and serve as a destination trail for the larger surrounding area.
The 5-mile corridor stretches east and west within the cities of Eagan and Inver Grove Heights. The proposed corridor's surrounding land use includes primarily single-family residential neighborhoods and rural, undeveloped open space.
The finished greenway segment will consist of a 10-foot wide paved trail. Other amenities will include:
- Grade separated crossings of Highway 3, County Road 71 and Highway 52
- Trailhead facilities and parking
- Interpretive memorial nodes
- Connections to local trails and sidewalks
- Wayfinding and interpretive signage
- Landscaping
- Other features consistent with Dakota County Greenway Standards
Final design, environmental assessment, survey and engineering work and the public engagement process will extend through 2027. The planned project will construct the 5-mile corridor in three phases. Construction of the first phase started spring 2024.
More updates will be posted as they become available.
Interpretive nodes
Interpretive nodes are places along the trail that honor and recognize the sacrifice made by veterans and provide a place for healing (memorial). They also provide stories that inform and inspire visitors about military service.
There will be eight memorial nodes along the greenway. They include:
- Native American Veterans
- Gold Star Families
- Military Units and Flyers
- Support Organizations
- MIA Prairie
- Places We Served
- Main Memorial
- County Military Places
For more information, see the Veterans Memorial Greenway Interpretive Plan.
Community engagement
Project Overview
Project Phases
The February 2022 open house presented initial designs and concepts for 10 veteran memorials.
An open house was held June 29, 2022 at the Veterans Community Center in Inver Grove Heights to review the draft plan and share ideas.
Project staff attended Fall Fest at the Veterans Community Center in Inver Grove Heights. They reviewed the project design, construction phasing and proposed alignments and discussed the eight veteran memorials.
Project Phasing & Alignment Boards
Project Handout and Share Your Story Survey
Project timeline
-
Phase 1 from Alameda Path to Rich Valley Park
- Phase 1 interpretive panels, kiosks and shade structures will be installed at nodes 5 and 6
- Mural painting and installation will take place at node 6 inside of the Rich Valley Boulevard (County 71) tunnel
- Phase 1 corridor landscaping will continue to install trees, shrubs and perennials at various locations
No trail closures are expected, but look for advanced warning signage and be aware of construction equipment near the trail.
May–July 2026
-
Phase 2 from Dodd Rd to Southern Lakes Park
- Construction bidding summer 2026, with construction anticipated to begin in late summer or fall and be completed by the end of 2027.
- Additional project updates will be shared once a construction schedule has been approved by the construction contractor
Summer 2026-end of 2027
-
Phase 3 from Rich Valley Athletic Complex to U.S. Highway 52
- Design and engineering through summer 2027, with construction taking place in 2027 and 2028.
2027-2028
Let us know what you think
For assistance or more information
More information is available in the Veterans Memorial Greenway trail planning website.
Stay up to date throughout the process by visiting this webpage. You can also contact the county's project manager if you have questions:
Tony Wotzka, Greenways Manager
952-891-7966
tony.wotzka@co.dakota.mn.us
Luisa Torres, Senior Project Manager
952-891-7028
luisa.torres@co.dakota.mn.us
Funding for this project was provided by a grant through Minnesota's Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment.
