Updates

CeMar Trail — A project to pave the limestone trail through Thomas & Legion Parks wrapped in spring. In July, a ribbon cutting was held for a new bridge over Indian Creek. Construction of a 240-foot bridge over Marion Boulevard began in August. Steel girders have been placed; the trail surface will be poured and decorative features installed in spring.

Grant Wood Trail — This trail shares the Indian Creek and Marion Boulevard bridges with the CeMar Trail. The Central Corridor project along 6th Avenue opened in August and includes a combination of sidewalks (for pedestrians), side paths (for pedestrians and bicycles) and on-street bike lanes to complete the connection through Uptown as the trail continues west.

10th Ave Sidepaths — Construction of wide sidepaths on both sides of 10th Avenue (US-151 Business Rt) began in August and will be completed in spring.

CeMar Trail — Cedar Rapids’ final CeMar Trail segment opened this fall. The trail now runs from Cedar Lake, around Mount Mercy University’s athletic complex, under 1st Avenue, and ends at Mount Calvary Cemetery. A future Marion segment will pick up from here.

Edgewood Trail — A new segment of this trail near Blairs Ferry Road wrapped this year. Next year work will begin to connect Glass Road to the bridge over the Cedar River and to widen the pedestrian path on the bridge. A portion of the trail along Wiley Blvd. will begin construction next year.

Interurban Trail — A short segment of this trail opened in Cedar Rapids, along Cottage Grove Avenue SE between 1st Avenue and Forest Drive.

Cherokee Trail — A bicycle boulevard through residential neighborhoods on the NW side will coincide with a street resurfacing project next summer. Next summer construction will pick the trail back up in Jacolyn Park and connect all the way through Cherokee Park, to a point just west of Edgewood Road.

Lindale (Grant Wood) Trail — Next year work will begin to connect from the western end of the current Lindale Trail, beneath Blairs Ferry Road NE, and west to Council Street.

Morgan Creek Trail — A mile-long trail through Morgan Creek Park is now complete. The trail connects on the south end to the Cedar Rapids Cherokee Trail, runs through a day use area, along improved wetlands, over Morgan Creek on a new 300-foot bridge, through the arboretum and ending at Worcester Road. Design work is underway to continue this trail to the north, across Ellis Road, along Hwy. 100 and running through an underpass at Covington Road. Construction for this segment may begin as soon as 2023. Next fall, construction work is expected to begin on the trail’s eastern end, running along Xavier High School, through the Rock Island Preserve, over the Iowa Northern Railroad, and ending at a point just east of the Cedar River’s edge. A future Biechler Bridge over the Cedar River would connect these two trail segments.

Cedar Valley Nature Trail — Six miles of newly paved trail now connect from Center Point to the north, through Urbana. This project included a realignment of the I-380 underpass, with lighting and signals to alert trail users of oncoming travelers. A complete rebuild and pavement overlay of an approximately half-mile trail segment between Cedar Rapids and Ely was also completed.

Grant Wood Trail — A paving project is anticipated in 2022 for the segment of trail between Waldo’s Rock Park, just east of Marion, to Oxley Road. Land acquisition is underway to connect a “missing link” segment between Oxley and Creekside Roads. Design work has also begun to build up and prepare a current dirt surface trail for future paving, between Creekside and Paralta Roads.

We have been calling it the “golden age of trails development.” Two decades ago, the Linn County Trails Association contributed dollars and sweat equity to convert portions of the former Milwaukee Road railway into a three-segment, 3.2-mile dirt path Grant Wood Trail. Today, the developed trail  —  and funded plans  —   project a continuous, paved path nearly four times that length to be completed within the next few years. While much work remains, these renewed efforts cast excitement to revisit early plans for the trail’s link to the Mississippi River.

If you’ve been following our website or social media pages, you’ll know the City of Marion held a ribbon cutting in July for a new CeMar/Grant Wood Trail bridge over Indian Creek. Once a staple in Marion, the Milwaukee Railroad served the community for decades. The bridge over Indian Creek was first built in 1915 and has sat idle for years since the last passenger train served Marion in 1971. The reconstructed bridge, using its original girders atop new piers, takes on new life with fresh pavement for pedestrians and bicyclists. Ornamental embellishments pay tribute to Marion’s railroad history.

Work continues to progress on the Grant Wood Trail bridge over Marion Boulevard. This bridge will be adorned with artistic features designed by local artist Cara Briggs Farmer, creating a visual “gateway” entrance into Marion.

Funds from the Corridor Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) provided much of the needed financing for these bridge projects. While the MPO recently wrapped up its five-year, 80–20 percent split appropriating money for federally funded trails and highway projects respectively (traditionally the funding allocation had been reversed), much of the allocated dollars remain unspent  —  meaning several miles of new trails are practically shovel ready. The development we’ve seen in the past few years is only starting to hit its stride.

In 2016, Linn County voters approved a $40-million bond initiative to improve water quality and parks, and to construct trails. In the time since, local governments and advocacy groups have shown their dedication to those same priorities. It is apparent the increased focus on trail building across organizations adds up to an exciting time for trails progress in Linn County.

Lest we forget, major projects in the past few years have included the extension of the Cedar Valley Nature Trail hard surfacing, north to just past Urbana, and south to the Linn County line; the acquisition of land to eventually form the Interurban Trail to Mount Vernon; a trail connection from Morgan Creek Park (including a gorgeous bridge) to a growing Cherokee Trail on Cedar Rapids’ west side; and the aforementioned expansion of the Grant Wood Trail.

Two more iconic bridges will come online soon as part of the ConnectCR project. One bringing life to a historical bridge over the Cedar River, south of the Czech Village (the Alliant LightLine™ bridge, shown in a rendering at right). Another ConnectCR bridge will create a special boardwalk interaction for Cedar Lake visitors.

Still yet two more iconic bridges, with important trail connections, are in the early planning stages. A replacement for the 8th Avenue Bridge over the Cedar River in downtown Cedar Rapids will include wide sidewalks with connections to trails on both sides of the river. And the Biechler Bridge will connect trail users across the Cedar River to the north, next to Hwy. 100.

Many communities are lucky if they can take on one such project per decade. Our community will install at least six significant bridges in about as much time. Linn County Trails Association is proud to have contributed to many of these projects, and to the trails that connect them. And with the help of our supporters, we will put your dollars hard at work to ensure our trail system continues to experience this golden era!

Two more iconic bridges will come online soon as part of the ConnectCR project. One bringing life to a historical bridge over the Cedar River, south of the Czech Village (the Alliant LightLine™ bridge, shown in a rendering at right). Another ConnectCR bridge will create a special boardwalk interaction for Cedar Lake visitors.

Still yet two more iconic bridges, with important trail connections, are in the early planning stages. A replacement for the 8th Avenue Bridge over the Cedar River in downtown Cedar Rapids will include wide sidewalks with connections to trails on both sides of the river. And the Biechler Bridge will connect trail users across the Cedar River to the north, next to Hwy. 100.

Many communities are lucky if they can take on one such project per decade. Our community will install at least six significant bridges in about as much time. Linn County Trails Association is proud to have contributed to many of these projects, and to the trails that connect them. And with the help of our supporters, we will put your dollars hard at work to ensure our trail system continues to experience this golden era!