After a snowfall of 2 inches or more, Plymouth's crews need at least 48 hours to clear the city's more than 130 miles of trail. This winter, that clock applies to a network with one more crossing in it.
The new crossing is at Highway 55 and County Road 73. There, the Station 73 TRIP project has spent two construction seasons adding a pedestrian tunnel under the highway and building 1.2 miles of Eagle Lake Regional Trail from the Luce Line Trail to 1st Avenue N. For anyone who walks, runs or bikes in Plymouth through the cold months, the project is the biggest change to the winter route map. The plowing rules decide how far that new route carries you in January.
What Station 73 Adds at Highway 55
In his column for the November/December 2026 Plymouth News, Mayor Jeff Wosje described the project as nearing completion after two summers of work around Highway 55 and County Road 73. He also explained why the crossing mattered:
"Prior to the tunnel, the existing area of Highway 55 and County Road 73 posed a variety of safety hazards for pedestrians and bicyclists."
The column lists what the project delivers:
- A pedestrian tunnel beneath Highway 55, which the mayor says gives safer access to city parks, neighborhoods, regional trails, the Station 73 transit facility and nearby businesses
- 1.2 miles of Eagle Lake Regional Trail between the Luce Line Trail and 1st Avenue N.
- New bus platforms along Highway 55
- A realigned County Road 73
- New roundabouts at County Road 73 and Sunset Trail, and at South Shore Drive and 10th Avenue
- Repaving on sections of the surrounding roads
The mayor's column also lists finishing touches at Station 73 itself: wayfinding signs, a bike fix-it station, a charging area for e-bikes and scooters, and a dedicated area for rideshare pickups. Those are useful at the end of a winter bike commute, when a frozen chain or a dying e-bike battery can end the ride early.
In its Oct. 23 project update, the city said underground utility work was nearly done, paving was complete across large portions of the project, and completion was expected in the fall. The same update announced one permanent change for drivers. Starting Oct. 26, crews were scheduled to begin building a center median that will turn the South Shore Drive and North Frontage Road intersection into right-in, right-out access, which prohibits left turns, U-turns and driving straight across South Shore Drive. If your walk or drive used that intersection to cross, plan a different route.
The 48-Hour Clock That Runs Plymouth's Winter Trails
A new underpass is only as useful in winter as the trails on either side of it, and Plymouth's trail plowing runs at a set pace.
Here is the order of events after a storm, based on the city's description:
- Roads go first. For snowfalls under 2 inches, crews treat and plow main and designated secondary roads, with extra attention to stop signs, hills and curves in residential areas.
- Trail clearing follows and takes at least two days after a 2-inch-plus snowfall. Trails often need several passes because road plows can push snow back onto a trail that was already cleared.
- Cleared trails still won't be bare. The city does not plow trails down to pavement or treat them with chemicals.
- Residents work on the same 48-hour clock. Plymouth requires property owners with sidewalks to shovel them within 48 hours after a snow event.
The tall stakes along the trail edges are there so plow drivers can follow the path, and the city asks residents to leave them in place. You can follow plow progress on the live plow map and report icy spots or missed areas through myPlymouth. The sidewalk rule comes from the city, so check plymouthmn.gov for how it applies to your property. This post is general information, not legal advice.
The Regional Trails: Plowed, Not Plowed, and Not Yet Listed
The regional trails that cross Plymouth are maintained by Three Rivers Park District in partnership with local cities. Its winter season runs Nov. 1 through April 15 and covers more than 120 miles of regional trail across the whole system. The park district notes that plowing response times depend on each city's schedule and priorities, and that bridges and boardwalks can take longer.
The district's most recent published plowing table covers the 2025–26 season. Here is how it treats the trails closest to home:
Regional trail | City segment | 2025–26 winter status |
|---|---|---|
Luce Line | Plowed | |
Luce Line | Plowed, except through Theodore Wirth Park | |
Dakota Rail | Plowed | |
Lake Minnetonka | Plowed | |
Eagle Lake | Not on the 2025–26 list |
The 1.2 miles built through Station 73 run from the Luce Line, which was on the plowed list in Plymouth last winter, to 1st Avenue N. Eagle Lake Regional Trail did not appear on that list. The Luce Line Regional Trail runs nine paved miles through Plymouth and Golden Valley, with Medicine Lake in view and an entry into Minneapolis through Theodore Wirth Park. The Wirth segment closes in winter. West of Vicksburg Lane, the Luce Line State Trail turns to crushed limestone and continues more than 60 miles, nearly to Hutchinson.
Where Snow Turns a Walk Into a Ski Route
The trails Plymouth doesn't plow are still open. The city says uncleared recreational trails stay open for snowshoeing, walking and cross-country skiing as conditions allow. So after a storm, the same trail system splits in two. Plowed corridors like the Luce Line become the walking and biking routes, and unplowed park loops become places to ski or snowshoe.
At the north edge of town, Eagle Lake Regional Park sits on the Plymouth–Maple Grove border. It offers cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and fat biking on designated multi-use trails, and its paved park trail connects to the surrounding city trails.
When It's Too Cold for Any of It
Some January mornings are too cold for any trail. Indoors, the city scheduled the Plymouth Community Center Fieldhouse dome at 14800 34th Ave. N. to open for the season Nov. 1, weather permitting. Once inflated, it usually stays up through mid-April and offers open play and room to walk and run. The community center also has an indoor walking track. If you need a reason to make the trip in November, the Plymouth Artisan Market fills the community center Saturday, Nov. 14, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. It's free and features pottery, woodwork, jewelry, candles and fine art.
In December, an evening walk has somewhere to go. Holiday Lights at the Hilde Performance Center, 3500 Plymouth Blvd., go up in early December and turn on at dusk for the rest of the season. The city set it up to encourage outdoor activity in winter. The Hilde's igloo, with Santa's chair, is also one of four Santa's Mailbox drop-off points from Nov. 28 through Dec. 13. The others are City Hall, the Plymouth Ice Center and the community center. Letters need a self-addressed, stamped envelope. On Saturday, Dec. 5, the Plymouth History Center at 3605 Fernbrook Lane hosts the Merry Market from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with handmade goods from local vendors, hot chocolate and another Santa's Mailbox.
A Plowed Trail Into Wayzata's Lighting Night
The Dakota Rail Regional Trail in Wayzata was also on last season's plowed list. This year, Wayzata's holiday evening comes a week early. Light Up the Lake runs Friday, Nov. 20, from 5 to 7 p.m. on Lake Street, the Friday before Thanksgiving. The evening includes llama photos at Depot Park, hot cider inside the Historic Wayzata Depot, and horse-drawn wagon rides. The Wayzata Firefighter's Parade of Lights starts at 5:45 p.m. and runs from Broadway to Barry Avenue, followed by the town lighting ceremony with Mayor Mullin at Panoway Plaza. IOCP is collecting food on Panoway, and the Wayzata PD float is collecting toys for Toys for Tots.
If you've already mapped your winter loop and noticed how much the Highway 55 crossing changes it, we'd like to hear about it. At MOVE, our agents follow these Plymouth and Wayzata details closely, from which trails get plowed to where the new routes connect. If you want to talk through what that means for a home on your street, Let's Connect.
