Accessible improvements planned for William O’Brien State Park

Mary Divine, Pioneer Press
·2 min read

William O’Brien State Park in northern Washington County is slated to undergo a major makeover in 2023 and 2024 in order to provide additional accessibility and updated amenities.

“The vision for the park is of accessible adventures for people of all abilities,” said Ann Pierce, the director of the DNR’s parks and trails division. “This is an improvement of conditions, so more Minnesota citizens can use the park.”

The project is planned for April 2023 through fall of 2024, but the timeline may be adjusted as plans for the project are finalized, Pierce said.

Among the improvements planned: An accessible counter and accessible phone for visitors at the visitors center; an accessible path from the trail and parking lot to the picnic shelter, and accessible picnic tables.

Plans call for the lower part of the park, located east of Minnesota 95, to be closed to the public during construction. Crews will be be constructing accessible campsites in the park’s Riverway campground, which has 54 sites. The campground will be closed during construction; the Riverside group campsite also will be closed during construction in order to keep park visitors safe, she said.

The Riverside Trail and the Mondale Day Use area also will be closed.

The Savannah campground area, which has 58 campsites, will remain open. So will the three rustic group campsites at Wedge Hill, which can accommodate 35 people each, for a total of 105 people, she said.

Plans also call for the park’s visitors’ center and office to remain open during construction, she said.

Pierce stressed that the plans are subject to change.

“We are early in the design process, and cost estimates are evolving as the designs evolve and as the scope of work evolves,” Pierce said. “Over the winter, we will continue to address project prioritization, funding availability, scope of work and scheduling of work.”

Related Articles