WOODWARD, Iowa — EDITOR'S NOTE: The video above is from June 9, 2021.
The Iowa Transportation Commission approved nearly $1.5 million for four State Recreational Trails Program projects on Tuesday.
Of that, $220,080 will go to a connector between the High Trestle and Raccoon River Valley trails.
The nine-mile bike trail between Perry and Woodward will eventually complete a 118-mile loop of central Iowa trails.
Craig Markley, office director for the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) said the systems planning office received 37 applications for the program.
"They requested almost $15 million in grant funding, so unfortunately the funding didn't go very far," Markley said.
However, the High Trestle Trail allocation is still significant. Markley said the total cost is just under $400,000, meaning the program funding will cover 56% of it.
Markley said about half of the trail is done or will be done soon. As for the remainder, he said the Dallas County Conservation Board is still working with landowners to secure the right of way for construction.
"The goal is just as soon as they can get some fundraising, get some additional dollars, see where the grants go in the next year or two," Markley said.
The rest of the funding went to the following projects:
- Heart of Iowa Nature Trail: Paving Skunk River Bridge to 610th Avenue: $384,000
- Grant Wood Trail: Paving Waldo's Rock Park to Oxley Road: $400,000
- Keokuk Riverfront Trail: $493,595