The City of Blaine, Minnesota, worked to create a pathway through the Blaine Wetland Sanctuary for nearly two decades but faced numerous challenges including preserving endangered plants and an inability to drive on the wetland during the installation process. This environmentally sensitive area is considered an “exceptional natural value wetland” and is home to a variety of wildlife species as well a host of native plants – many of which are rare or endangered.

Serving as a key pathway between neighborhoods and also a place to explore and connect with nature, the boardwalk needed to accommodate pedestrians as well as bicycle traffic. The project also called for two 33’ free span bridges, one of which needed to be removable in order for the area to be dredged every five years.

While the project design and specifications were well within Modular Trail Structures’ capabilities and expertise, the sensitive wetland area could not be driven on during the installation process. The MTS team designed a “top down” installation process for the Blaine Wetland Sanctuary. The boardwalk in progress served to handle loading of equipment and to facilitate the installation process itself to ensure minimal environmental impact in this special place.