Recreation: Plans for a Western Iowa Trail system

BY JAN DEHNER || HINTON, IOWA

Helping Sioux City succeed as a Blue Zone community may certainly be one advantage of creating a recreational trail connecting the communities of Le Mars and Sioux City. But the benefits don’t stop there.

Safe, secure, accessible, and well-maintained trails are an amenity that can enhance quality of life for local residents and help attract new residents and tourists alike to the area, boosting local economies and opening doors for new business ventures.

The Siouxland Interstate Metropolitan Planning Council (SIMPCO), along with input from a regional bike group, have been exploring scenarios for a biking and pedestrian trail linking the communities of Sioux City, Hinton, Merrill and Le Mars, and tie into existing trail networks already in place, primarily in Sioux City and Le Mars. The Floyd River Valley Trail Study examines three alternatives, ranging from making improvements to current routes already being used, to construction of a mainline route along US Highway 75, to possible development of a scenic route or scenic spurs along the Floyd River, where possible. Two public input meetings, one each in Sioux City and Le Mars, were held in March to garner interest and comments on the study.

The most immediate changes can be made to the current route along those county roads already being utilized to traverse the area by cyclists, mainly signage such as Share the Road, trail identification, and directional postings. The mainline route, in contrast, would primarily sit within the right-of-way along US Highway 75, but also includes roughly seven miles of abandoned railway that the Iowa DOT already owns, from just north of Hinton to Merrill. While this abandoned railway section is a logical location for the trail, it would require substantial infrastructure improvements including approximately seven bridges and issues with a drainage ditch near Merrill.

A scenic trail route or scenic spurs off a mainline route that allows for access to areas such as Hillview Recreation Area near Hinton is another possible development. This option garnered the most public comment during the two recent informational meetings. Kellee Van Bruggen, senior transportation planner for SIMPCO, said the study was careful not to identify routes along private property, but the study did suggest that there “may be opportunities in the future to work with interested parties in developing Scenic Route Loops to access areas that people are interested in getting to.” Van Bruggen also noted that the state of Iowa does not allow for condemnation of land for the purposes of trail construction.

The regional Floyd River Valley Trail Study grew out of interest generated by the Lewis and Clark Multi-Use Trail, one of five statewide trail systems pinpointed by the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) that could be completed in the next 20 years. The Lewis and Clark Multi-Use Trail would extend 150 miles along Iowa’s western boundary, connecting the cities of Hamburg in southern Iowa, to Sioux City, near the South Dakota border. The Floyd River Valley Trail could potentially tie into the Lewis and Clark Multi-Use Trail through trails already established in Sioux City, making this a significant regional and statewide trail.

An outline of the Floyd River Valley Trail Study, results of preliminary reports, maps of potential routes, and surveys can be found at www.simpco.org/projects.html. The study remains open for public comment until April 26. The goal then is to develop a trail association that would continue to work towards implementation of recommendations made from the final study.

What are your thoughts about a western Iowa trail? Would you use a walking and bicycle trail between Sioux City and LeMars? Share your thoughts in a comment below.

Jan Dehner is a longtime cyclist from Hinton, Iowa. She grew up in northwest Iowa.