Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation: Central Iowa Trails Addition

Union Pacific Railroad sold the corridor to the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation (INHF), a nonprofit conservation organization and a long-time leader in creating Iowa’s extensive trail system. This area has been “railbanked,” a provision which keeps discontinued rail corridors intact for public transportation as a trail or future rail use.

“This is an exciting acquisition both for Iowa trail enthusiasts and for the region as a whole, and we sincerely applaud Union Pacific’s cooperation and support for making it possible,” notes Lisa Hein, INHF’s Director of Program and Planning. “This segment not only connects multiple towns, counties and existing trails, but it also expands the two 100-mile Central Iowa Trail loops”

INHF will soon transfer the corridor to its nine public partners, including four counties and five communities. County conservation boards in Polk, Story, Dallas and Boone counties will purchase their trail segments using Transportation Enhancement funds administered by the Iowa Department of Transportation. The cities of Slater, Sheldahl, Madrid and Woodward will purchase their segments with state Resource Enhancement and Protection (REAP) funds administered by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

“The trail will be great for quality of life for those of us who live here,” said Becky Roorda, member of Madrid Friends of the Trail. “In addition, we expect it to be a great draw for people considering moving to Madrid and the other towns along the trail—while giving visitors yet another good reason to stop and spend some time in our communities and local businesses. It is now up to us locally to get to work to make the most of this new asset.”

The proposed trail is not yet open to the public. The partners are working to hire an engineering and design firm to develop detailed construction plans and cost estimates. At that point, Hein notes, the project’s additional fundraising needs will be more specific.

“The public agencies have funds from the Iowa Department of Transportation to grade the existing rock ballast for non-motorized use, and we hope to have that grading done by 2007 or sooner,” said Hein. “This acquisition is really the start of the project; we still don’t have a name for the trail. After the design and construction plans are developed, the next step will be hard-surfacing the trail for bicycling and then providing trailheads, signage and other amenities. That phase could take another five years to complete, but some segments could be done sooner. There is still a lot of work to do to complete the trail.”

Lisa Hein

Only the 120-foot tall piers remain from what used to be the half-mile Des Moines River Greenbelt bridge between Madrid and Woodward. Restoring the bridge will be one of the biggest hurdles of the project, but it will be one of the most rewarding as well.

One of the biggest hurdles will be restoring the half-mile Des Moines River Greenbelt bridge between Madrid and Woodward. Because the railroad retained the bridge decking for reuse on their mainline tracks, only the tall (120 ft) piers remain. Hein notes that the group intends to find an engineer who will work with an artist to present “a bridge worthy of the scenery it crosses—a bridge with both art and function.”

“We’re very, very excited about this project,” said Mike O’Brien, a Boone County supervisor. “We’re looking forward to working with INHF and the other counties to realize this tremendous trail and economic development opportunity. We want to participate in that process as much as we can.”

The new trail segment is a major link in a proposed plan to create two 100-mile trail loops that meet near Des Moines. The western loop involves the Raccoon River Trail and Clive Greenbelt Trail. The eastern loop includes the Heart of Iowa Trail, Chichaqua Greenbelt Trail and Four Mile Creek Trail. Both loops have other gaps remaining to be closed, but this acquisition is a major connection between the two of them.

“We think this is an important piece in developing what will be some of the longest and most dynamic trail loops in all of North America. This will help us reach our goal of being trails capital of the world,” said Pat Boddy, director of Polk County Conservation.

Hein notes that the project, two years in the making already, has required long-term commitment from many public and private partners.

“Union Pacific has worked long and hard to make this transfer workable and affordable,” she said. “Meanwhile, representatives the counties and cities have been attending meetings for years; and the Iowa Department of Transportation and Department of Natural Resources and our federal legislators have appropriated considerable funding for future construction. We’re grateful to these and others for the fortitude it’s taken to get this far and to look ahead to the future.”

Hein notes that “former rail corridors are an important asset to the public, and we’re glad to help preserve this one, so that it is available for people-oriented transportation.”

Private contributions for future trail construction can be sent to the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation at 800-475-1846, www.inhf.org or 505 Fifth Avenue, Suite 444, Des Moines, IA 50309-2321. Gifts should be designated for “Central Iowa Trail project.”

Or you can visit our donate now page to learn how you can help support the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation and its projects.

For more information about Iowa trails visit INHF trails page.

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

Happy trails advocates celebrate acquisition