Dallas County acquires trail corridor

Dallas County is now the official owner of a new 28-mile segment of the Raccoon River Valley Trail. By connecting Waukee, Dallas Center, Minburn, Perry and Dawson, the new segment will create a 72-mile trail loop within Dallas County.

The Union Pacific Railroad helped make the corridor purchase a reality by donating more than $4 million dollars of its appraised value.

The process began more than three years ago when Union Pacific determined that this corridor was no longer required to serve Iowa's rail transportation needs. Union Pacific began rail-banking the line and negotiating with the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation (INHF) for its purchase. INHF, a nonprofit conservation group, completed the purchase in December 2007.

Dallas County repurchased the corridor from INHF earlier this month. If the county’s fundraising efforts stay on track, construction on portions of this trail segment could begin later in 2008. In addition to the trail itself, the acquisition includes more than 400 acres of linear landscape, which the county conservation board will manage as habitat for native plants and wildlife.

"Union Pacific has been a partner in the evolution of Iowa's transportation landscape for more than 150 years,” said Brenda Mainwaring, UP’s Director of Public Affairs. “Our role in the development of the state's trail network is a natural extension of that partnership.  We are pleased to give back to the communities that played such an important role in Iowa's railroading history."

Lisa Hein, INHF’s Program and Planning Director, worked with Union Pacific officials on the purchase and praised the company’s role.

“Central Iowa trail enthusiasts owe a big ‘thank you’ to the Union Pacific Railroad,” she said. “Without their willingness to rail-bank and their generous sale price, this segment and many other popular Iowa trails would not exist.”

Once this segment is completed, the Raccoon River Valley Trail will connect Clive (and the rest of the Des Moines metro), Waukee, Adel, Redfield, Linden, Panora, Yale, Cooper, Jefferson, Herndon, Jamaica, Dawson, Perry, Minburn, Dallas Center, Waukee, and back to Clive. Trail promoters predict it will become a regional and national destination trail, a place where trail users can spend a day or a week exploring the trail and its communities.

“Many partnerships have been created and enhanced because of this regional trail project”, stated Mike Wallace, Director of the Dallas County Conservation Board.  “There are significant economic opportunities for the communities both large and small due to the creation of this loop trail.  In 2008, we are looking at starting to work on some of the infrastructure components such as bridges.  In 2009, all or part of the trail loop is planned to be developed, depending upon funding”.

Anyone interested in donating funds toward completing this trail should contact DCCB at 515-465-3577.

Other INHF projects in Dallas County include earlier segments of this trail, parts of the Kuehn Conservation Area, parts of the Raccoon River corridor and many others.

See related magazine article

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