Trails are Open
The weather is warming and it is time to get out on the trails for another season!
Linn County Trails Association works to promote trails, trail maintenance and construction of new trails. An important means of doing this is by measuring trail usage to demonstrate demand for more and better trails. We need you to read and report the trail counts. Trail counters are at 12 locations within the Metro trail system as listed below. The counters may be recognized by two brown or blue posts located across from each other. The tallest post has a window on the top with a 6 digit display of the accumulated count. Simply record and report the number.
The easiest way to report a trail count is with a smart phone while at the trail counter location. Type into your browser linncountytrails.org/trailcount and fill in the form. The counter location is shown on the post and date and time are automatically recorded when reporting at the counter. If you store the trailcount URL link on your home page, you can save the effort of retyping it every time. Alternatively, you can also install a free QR code reader on your phone and read the QR code on the post to automatically bring up the form and chose the counter location. These instructions are also on the counter post.
While you are reporting, please run a test to verify that the counter is working, by slowly waving your hand across the beam between the two post and verify that the count increments. There is a check box on the reporting form for "counter is not working". We do struggle to keep fresh batteries in the counters.
Last year saw completion of Cedar Valley Nature Trail paving through Center Point which was supported by a $103,000 donation from LCTA. This year we are working to a) support funding for an extension of the Lindale Trail to connect the Cedar River Trail and b) support engineering planning for the Hwy 100 Trail near Xavier High School going towards the Cedar River and eventually across the river at the old railroad bridge pilings downstream from the Hwy 100 bridge. Through demonstrated trail usage and financial contributions from LCTA supporters, we can speed up the development of these trails.
Thank you
Linn County Trails Association
Cedar Rapids Mayor Ron Corbett Recognized for Commitment to Trails
More than $40-million dollars allocated to fund trail development during mayor's tenure.
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The Linn County Trails Association board passed a resolution Monday night recognizing Cedar Rapids Mayor Ron Corbett for his public service and contributions to trails infrastructure during his time in office.
Mayor Corbett was instrumental in reallocating the formula for the distribution of federal gas tax funds for trail development—from 5% to 80%—during federal funding years 2016–20, greatly assisting in the expansion of the recreational trails system in Linn County during that period.
The Hoover Trail extension, from Ely to the southern Linn County Border, is the first trails project to benefit from the funding reallocation and will open this month. A public ribbon cutting ceremony will be held for the Hoover extension on Saturday, October 14, 2017 at 10 AM behind Ely City Hall.
Numerous additional trails projects have benefited from the funding prioritization and will see construction in the next 5 years, including the CeMar Trail, the Lindale Trail Extension, the Edgewood Road Trail, and the Cherokee Trail.
Linn County Trails Association commends Mayor Corbett for his wisdom, foresight, effectiveness and ongoing support of the development of recreational trails in Linn County.
LCTA and Linn County Conservation Join to Mark Opening of Paved Trail to Center Point
After several months of construction and final touches, the Cedar Valley Nature Trail paving project from Schultz Road to Ash Lane in Center Point is complete.
Linn County Trails Association and Linn County Conservation will join to hold a public ribbon-cutting ceremony and celebratory trail excursion, beginning at 1 p.m. on Saturday, August 12, 2017 at the Center Point Depot Museum, 700 E. Washington St, Center Point, IA. Rain or shine, guests are encouraged to bike to the event.
The Cedar Valley Nature Trail opened to the public in 1983. Linn County Trails Association’s 2015 Capital Campaign raised more than $100,000 toward the asphalt and concrete surfacing project. A plaque at the train depot in Center Point displays the names of donors and organizations that contributed to the project. The total project cost was $1.36 million, including major funding from Linn County Conservation and $600,000 from the Iowa Department of Transportation’s State Recreational Trails Grant.
See the event agenda »
Event organizers say the Pave-the-Trail campaign was a milestone in success. “We’d never before taken on a fundraising initiative of this size,” said LCTA president Tom Peffer. “We were overwhelmed by the support. We couldn’t have done it without the help of our generous LCTA members and donors.”
Both groups’ efforts continue to help close the 22-mile gap in hard surface along the trail, from Center Point to La Porte City. Linn County Conservation is already working to pave the trail to the Linn County line, having just replaced a bridge over West Blue Creek. A bridge replacement over East Blue Creek is tentatively scheduled for next year, which will allow for hard surfacing to continue to Urbana.
The Cedar Valley Nature Trail connects nearly 70 miles from Cedar Falls to Ely on a mix of soft and hard surfaces. It is one of the nation’s oldest rail-trails, and an important segment on the American Discovery Trail, which will eventually connect the Pacific Ocean in San Francisco to the Atlantic Ocean in Delaware.
RSVP »
CVNT Seal Coating this week (6/5/2017)
Linn County Conservation has let us know that the Cedar Valley Nature Trail from Boyson Road North to Robbins is closed today (6/5) and possibly tomorrow for seal coating the asphalt surface. The CVNT from Shultz Road to Iowa Street is scheduled to be seal coated on Wednesday, so it will be closed during that application.
Please let the crews complete their work and do not cross any barricades you encounter on the trail.
Cedar Valley Nature Trail has reopened in Center Point through Memorial Day weekend
After several months of construction, the Cedar Valley Nature Trail has reopened to the public in Center Point.
The trail is still closed from 56th Street to Urbana Road due to the bridge replacement over West Blue Creek, and intermittent closures on the trail south through Center Point may be required this summer.
We appreciates your patience during these trail improvement projects!
More at MyCountyParks.com
Boyson Road CVNT Parking Lot CLOSED on 4/25
The parking lot at Cedar Valley Nature Trail — Boyson Road will be CLOSED on Tuesday, April 25, 2017. Resealing work will be underway on the asphalt parking surface.
Parking can still be found at the County Home Road and Collins Road lots during this closure.
The closure is anticipated to last one day. Thank you for your patience!
Sokol Park trail counter is back
LCTA has re-installed the trail counter that was buried in the Skokol Park berm last summer. It is now further down the trail just past the Mt Trashmore entrance but is still called Sokol Park trail counter. When you go by, please stop and report the counts at linncountytrails.org/
There is now a temporary mostly black limestone trail from 16th Ave SW (Sokol Park) to the Mt Trashmore entrance where the Cedar River Trail continues.
All trail counters in the Cedar Rapids Metro Area are now operating except the the counter in Center Point. The Cedar Valley Nature Trail is closed at Iowa St in Center Point due to paving the trail through Center Point. Please stay off the closed trail. The trail should reopen sometime in June. Stay tuned.
CVNT Paving in Center Point
The concrete paving of the Cedar Valley Nature Trail within the town of Center Point has been scheduled to start on Monday, April 3rd, weather permitting. This section of trail will be paved with concrete, and extends through town and ends at the Apple Creek Bridge. The bridge over West Blue Creek (NW of Center Point on the CVNT) is still under construction as well, and the contractor hopes to start paving the bridge deck, but it's also contingent on the weather outlook.
The Trails are open
Linn County Trail Supporters
West Blue Creek Bridge Construction Pictures
Linn County Conservation is in the process of replacing the bridge across West Blue Creek, just north of Center Point on the Cedar Valley Nature Trail. They have shared some construction pictures with us. At our last board meeting they mentioned that the favorable weather is helping keep the project on schedule.
