‘Bridge by bridge,’ Iowa River’s Edge Trail work continues
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The installation of one bridge and repair of three others on the Iowa Rivers Edge Trail (IRET) this year means an additional two and one-half miles of the trail is now suitable for use, said Bruce Johnson of Marshalltown.
Another major milestone was achieved this summer when the Ann Keyser Trailhead and Emerson Bridge connected to the Linn Creek Recreation Trail were opened for use.
Johnson is vice president of TRAILS, Inc. the volunteer-driven committee which has been working since 2011 to develop a recreational trail from Marshalltown to the Marshall County-County line.
"With the installation of bridges 2 through 5 beginning at Radio Tower Road, we encourage residents to use the trail," said Johnson in a telephone interview with the T-R Monday.
"The gravel bed is in good shape for hybrid and gravel bikes - it is a little bumpy for narrow-tire road bikes like mine," he said. "Residents can take advantage of cooler temperatures and enjoy the color changes to leaves and other scenery along the trail and especially at bridge number 5 on the Iowa River."
Boulder Construction of Grundy Center was awarded bids to install and repair the bridges. Bridges 3, 4 and 5 were re-surfaced and repaired.
Johnson said TRAILS Inc. was pleased that Bridge 2 – a metal bridge previously used at a Marshalltown park – could be re-purposed. It is now over a small creek near Radio Tower Road.
The trail's purpose is to facilitate recreation by Iowans which will include wildlife viewing; walking; bicycling; geocaching; cross-country skiing and snowmobiling, according to the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation (INHF). That organization is headquartered in Des Moines and has endorsed the project and provided significant staff resources.
Bridge work funding and more
The bridge work was funded with a more than $1 million grant from the state of Iowa Recreation Trails and Alternative Program, combined with private donations, according to city of Marshalltown Public Works Director Heather Thomas in a recent email to the T-R.
Johnson said another grant application is being worked on for additional trail development now by Kelsie Staffford - director of the city's Parks and Recreation department and Andrea Boulton, trails and community conservation director with the INHF.
Stafford and Boulton told the T-R last week they are now in the preliminary stages of gathering information for the grant and will provide additional details in November. The Hardin County committee was recently awarded a state grant to further develop their portion of the trail.
Boulton has provided extensive assistance over the years to advance trail construction and bridge replacement with grant writing and organizational assistance to the two volunteer-driven trail committees in both counties.
Project recap
"We are beginning to see a lot of planning over the years come to fruition," said Marshalltown Mayor Mike Ladehoff in a previous T-R article.
The efforts Ladehoff referenced are part of the 34-mile Iowa River’s Edge Trail (IRET) which, when completed, will travel through Hardin and Marshall counties specifically from Steamboat Rock to Marshalltown.
The trail will run through Albion, Liscomb, Union and Gifford. It has been and will continue to be paved with concrete and wide enough for users and emergency-response vehicles, according to Jeff Schneider, president of TRAILS Inc.
Approximately 24 miles of the 34-mile trail still need to be paved, according to the INHF website. The trail is being constructed on a vacant railroad line which was purchased by INHF in 2013.
The city of Marshalltown has been an active partner in the project since it was first proposed in 2011. Former Marshalltown resident Dr. Terry Briggs and members of the Iowa Valley Bicycle Club were instrumental in early public awareness, private fund-raising and grant writing to help launch the project.
Who will benefit?
More than 223,000 people live within a half-hour drive of the IRET, according to the INHF website.
Schneider, who also serves as Marshalltown city councilor at-large, emphasized that small businesses such as bed and breakfasts, convenience stores. restaurants and taverns along the route will benefit significantly. He previously cited examples of the impact generated by trails statewide.
"My wife and I have firsthand experience observing the economic value recreational trails have provided in other communities and are fully supportive of having a first-class trail 'closer to home' so our local communities derive the same benefits," said Christopher Duree, former chancellor of Iowa Valley Community College District in TRAILS, Inc. promotional material.
For more information about INHF – or to donate – contact Boulton at 515-288-1846 ext. 27 or aboulton@inhf.org.
For more information about Hardin County's efforts or to donate, contact 641-648-2124 or hardincountytrails@gmail.com. For more information about Marshall County efforts or to donate or make a pledge, contact or INFO@TRAILSINC.ORG, or mail to TRAILS INC, P.O. Box 1386, Marshalltown, 50158.