Fans of the Mesabi Trail will be seeing some improvements in a couple of areas. The Department of Natural Resources has announced their new Parks and Trails Legecy Grants.

The Parks and Trails Legacy Grant program helps local governments acquire, develop and restore parks and trails of regional or statewide significance.

Mesabi Trail upgrades include:

• St. Louis and Lake counties Regional Rail Authority (RRA), $512,000. Development of the Mesabi Trail at the eastern edge of Vermilion State Park.

• Itasca County, $200,000. Improvement of more than six miles of the Mesabi Trail, parking and signage.

Other Bike trails grant winners were:

• City of Walker, $425,000. Construction of a tunnel/underpass under state Highway 200/371 to complete the Shingobee Connection Trail, which connects the Paul Bunyan and Heartland state trails to Walker.

• Lyon County, $1,409,925. Construction of a new paved off-road bicycle and pedestrian trail that will connect Camden State Park to Marshall.

• Freeborn County, $950,000. Acquisition of more than 12 miles of abandoned rail line for a new bicycle and pedestrian thoroughfare that will link to the Blazing Star State Trail in Albert Lea