Raccoon River Valley Trail
to close gap
Donations needed to complete project

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This article was written and posted on INHF's website in October 1999.

If plans and fundraising stay on schedule, a proposed five-mile addition to the Raccoon River Valley Trail (RRVT) will give area trail enthusiasts an extra 39 miles of trail (or 18 extra miles, depending on where you start).

The math works because RRVT is now divided into two large sections: 34 miles between Waukee and Yale plus 13.1 miles between Herndon and Jefferson. The proposed addition closes the 5.5-mile gap between Yale and Herndon, yielding almost 53 continuous miles of paved trail. Grants have been awarded to acquire the expanded corridor, though private support is still needed.

The expanded trail will connect Dallas, Guthrie and Greene counties. As part of the same project, another unpaved six-mile spur will be added between Herndon and Dawson. The unpaved spur will be suitable for hiking and mountain biking. The combined projects will be started in 2000 and completed in 2001.

The Dallas, Guthrie and Greene County Conservation boards manage RRVT as a linear park. The three county conservation boards and the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation (INHF) have been collaborating to organize and fund the expansion project.

Project costs include acquiring the new 11 miles of trail corridor (the 5-mile gap and 6-mile spur) from Union Pacific Railroad, developing and paving the gap segment, grading and posting the unpaved spur, and purchasing all land rights on the existing RRVT segments, which are currently leased from Central Iowa Energy Corporation (CIECO).

The million-dollar project is largely funded by the Iowa Department of Transportation (IDOT) and federal Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA 21) grants. INHF is now raising another $155,000 to match state and federal dollars.

INHF has set up a special fund for individuals and businesses to contribute to RRVT expansion. Donations of all sizes are welcome, but major donors can put their names on one of the four bridges to be refurbished in the gap area. The bridges, ranging from 26 to 80 feet long, can be sponsored for $100 per foot.

"The Raccoon River Valley Trail is one of the most popular trails in Iowa, and we hope some of its many users will help close this trail gap and make it even better," said Mark Ackelson, president of INHF. "A trail like this benefits not only the users but also the communities, businesses and habitat along it." INHF is a non-profit, member-supported organization that protects Iowa's natural resources for future generations.

RRVT is one of the most popular trails in central Iowa, receiving an estimated 100,000 visits annually. Once the new segments are completed, RRVT will link 10 communities and protect over 700 acres of wildlife habitat, remnant prairie and woodlands.

A completely separate project that links the Raccoon River Valley Trail to the Clive Greenbelt Trail should be completed in 2000. This 5.5-mile addition will initially link RRVT to Clive and Windsor Heights, later to Urbandale and West Des Moines, and eventually to the whole Des Moines metro trail system.

For more information about contributing to this project, e-mail Anita O'Gara, Director of Development and Communications, or call at 515-288-1846.

For more information, e-mail Cathy Engstrom, director of communications, or call (515) 288-1846.