The LCTA Trail Connections Survey is your chance to influence trail development in Linn County and the Metro Area! The survey is located at:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/
It is important to get a strong response from trail users to identify the most important future trail projects. Please participate. The survey will close soon.
Hello — I live on Bowling Street near Kirkwood & work until midnight at Mount Mercy University on the north side. I voted for the College Connection…I regularly biked the partial trail to work until the flood four years ago, when it didn’t feel safe to bike through the deserted downtown/Czech Village area after midnight.
Marion and the North sides of CR are the fastest growing portions of the metro CR area. They deserve the most effort going forward. Due to the low number of crossings my favorite ride is Check Village to Ely. However, getting there from the Boyson Road Trailhead has a few dangerous intersections
As Collins and Aegon ar the largest employers in the area their access by trails would allow some of to commute. There is no good east to west path serving either of these major employers. An east/west path joining the CVNT would allow bike commuters to more safely reach these destinations.
Could a sidewalk wide enough to allow bikes be built along Blairs Ferry Road? There seems to be land which could be used on much of the North side and the existing sidewalks on the south side could be widened.
I greatly appreciate the CVNT paving from County Home Road northward to Schults. That is another favorite riding area of mine. This will give the northern part of the county something similar to what the southern portion has. However, if it could be extended all the way to Center Point then it would allow a nice trip up there where one could grab a nice snack and then return home.
While I do have trail and hybrid bikes I mostly ride high performance raod bikes which do not do well on unpaved trails. As such, I greatly appreciate the paved trails where they are available because it greatly increases my riding safety. While this is not ideal for the runners it is best for anything using a wheel like skaters and skateboarders in addition to the bikers. Is there any chance that about a 2 foot wide gravel strip could be added to the paved areas for them to run on? This would get them off the pavement, onto a safer running surface and get them out of the path of the bikers. It would be a win for us all.
While I have read the pamphlets with the trail rules on them and try to follow them I do not believe that most users are aware that there are rules. Is it possible to create signs along the trails with the basic rules on them? This would increase the overall safety and pleasure of all users.
While I am not is a position to be able to donate much money to the trails is there any way that we as users can do something to bennefit the trails? If periodic trail mantenance events could be organized I’d bet that users would turn out to help. We would just need to be told what needed to be done. For example, I have brush clearing tools which could help to maintain the trail berms from trees, bushes and weeds. I’m reasonable skilled at carpentry and can build things. As a kid I used to help install drainage tiles and open ditches. So, what can people like me do to help the trails?
Is there any chance that trash recepticles can be installed at the Boyson trailhead and County Home parking area? I have to pack out my own trash since there is no place to put it. While inconvenient for me, others may not be so willing to pack out their own trash.
Riding the trails north from Boyson Road I can say that I greatly appreciate the places to rest and the occasional outhouse. Is there any chance that shelters to allow a break from the sun could be installed along the way? The chance to get out of the sun is greatly appreciated on those very hot days. Also of great interest would be more access to potable water and bike racks.
As a trail user I probably use the trails about twice a week, almost exclusively the paved portions. I greatly appreciate having access to such a nicely maintained and complete network of trails so close to where I live and work. Thank you greatly for the efforts your group has done for the bennefit of us all.
i agree there needs to be trash cans more often then you could dispose of the waste making for a even more enjoyable ride. also the sac and fox trail really needs to be paved and opened all the way to marion making a full circle to boyson rd and if we cross and had a bridge on cst sw to get from the trail on cst to prarrie lake and sac and fox trail then there would be no backtracking and nowhere we could not go now that would be of great interest to everyone just constant change of sceenery hope you all can see the need for this to happen as it would connect us to all parts of our beautiful city and open new paths for busnesses to seek out as i beleive that if when done it will be a new avenue of enjoyment as well as employment some permenant as bikers will be passing that way every day and they have needs wants and lots of freinds this route will also be among they safest accedent speaking or traffic no roads or traffic or lights a great way to get from southwest to marion what a great way to enjoy our fith season in the city of five seasons.the woods and exploring is much nicer through that area and the exploration is what the KIDS seem to want more of i should know i have two and this is all our idea they always want more out of the ordinary more nature life not more city trail life on busy roads kids need to be off the roads maybe have a age limit for the street trail not sure how that would work yea better to not and just make our town safe and secure as we can 100% always give all you have in effort to your neighbors as you would your own family God keep us all
I am a frequent user of the trail system on my bike, riding to work every shift that mother nature allows. I love the trail system and think you are doing a great service to our community. (Would LOVE to see it connected to Johnson Co trails soon)
I am a Captain on the Cedar Rapids Fire Department and my concern is for safety and response to emergencies. We respond to numerous bike accidents on the trail system. Seldom do the riders know where they are at on the trail in regards to the street system or the quickest access to respond to their emergency. (Confusion after taking a tumble)
The mile markers are a good start, but are too few to be of good use. We in the emergency response field would like to see 1/10th mile markers so the trail users would be able to better describe their exact location. One of these signs would be visible from most all places along the trail. Doing so would give us better information and speed response to any emergency. Of particular concern are the areas south of the Czech Village or north of 1st Ave where access is extremely limited. In these areas, we often must walk quite a distance to reach the person in need, making correct information regarding their location very important.
Thank you for your consideration.
Glen Heims
I would like to see a connection from Marion and the North sides of CR to the Boyson Road Trailhead. I would also like to see more of the current trails (Boysen trail, Sac and Fox trail for example) paved.