It’s been called the, “Golden Age of Trails Development” in Eastern Iowa. With corridors identified, projects designed and on the books, the next few years will be tremendously busy and filled with exciting buzz and new trail openings. As a note, timelines may have changed as jurisdictions deal with the financial impacts of COVID-19.

CeMar Trail

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• Cedar Rapids: Separated trail and on-street bicycle/improved sidewalk facilities from Cedar Lake to H Avenue NE (2020).
• Cedar Rapids: 29th Street NE to 33rd Street Drive SE including 1st Avenue underpass (2020–2021).
• Marion: Bridge over Marion Boulevard Demolition (2020)
• Marion: Hard surface overlay through Legion and Thomas Parks (2020–2021)
• Marion: Bridge over Indian Creek rehabilitation (2020–2021)
• Marion: New bridge over Marion Boulevard with art component (2021)
• Marion: 33rd Street Drive SE to Highway 100 connection (2022+)

Grant Wood Trail — West

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• Cedar Rapids: Connection between Council Street to existing trail east of C Avenue, including Blairs Ferry Road NE underpass (2021).
• Marion: Bridge over Marion Boulevard Demolition (2020)
• Marion: Bridge over Indian Creek rehabilitation (2020–2021)
• Marion: New bridge over Marion Boulevard with art component (2021)
• The trail will eventually connect from the Cedar Valley Nature Trail at Hwy. 100 to the Grant Wood Trail in Marion and beyond.
• Linn County Trails Association provided $75,000 in funding for the design of a connection between Council Street NE, beside the active rail corridor, and to the existing Cedar Valley Nature Trail. The Association’s advocacy was crucial in establishing right of way acquisition from Rockwell Collins (now Collins Aerospace) and moving the project forward quickly.

Grant Wood Trail — East

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• Marion: Land acquisitions are complete for the Marion Central Corridor project. The project will facilitate a bicycle and pedestrian connection between Uptown Marion and 31st Street, where the Grant Wood Trail picks back up and heads east into Linn County. Grading work will start in 2020 with pavement likely in 2021.
• Linn County: Work continues to fill the gap between Oxley Road and Creekside Road, adjacent to Secrist Road. (estimated 2021–2022).
• The Iowa DOT is working on an intersection improvement at Springville Road and US-151. The improvement is anticipated to include trail accommodations allowing for a connection from Springville to the Grant Wood Trail.
• Future improvements to the trail will connect eastward to Martelle in Jones County. Vision plans for the trail connect Cedar Rapids to the Mississippi River.
• Linn County Trails Association purchased the rail right of way and have a long history of preserving the trail for use. The Association gifted the trail to Linn County in 2005.

Highway 100 Trail (Linn County)

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• Construction on the trail through Morgan Creek Park is possible this Fall and Winter (2020–2021).
• Construction on the trail from 42nd Street, next to Xavier High School, and onto the Cedar River’s edge should begin next year (2021).
• A route study is underway for the connection between Morgan Creek Park and Covington (2022+).
• The trail will continue from Covington to the Biechler Bridge, which will connect both segments of trail on either side of the Cedar River. This will be the last phase of the project to see completion.
• Linn County Trails Association provided $100,000 in funding to accelerate the design component of the trail between Xavier High School and the Cedar River’s edge. LCTA also provided $25,000 in funding to accelerate the trail component through Morgan Creek Park.

Edgewood Trail (Cedar Rapids)

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• Extension from Ellis Road NW to Cedar River bridge (2020).
• Connection between Blairs Ferry Road NE and North River Boulevard NE (2021).
• Future phases will extend the width of the trail on the Edgewood Road bridge over Cedar River; complete the gaps between the Cedar River and Blairs Ferry Road; and fill in the gap between O Avenue NE and 33rd Street SW. No timeline is defined for these phases.
• Linn County Trails Association championed the prioritization of the connection from Glass Road NE, over the Cedar River and to the Ellis Trail. This project will move forward quickly thanks to the Association’s advocacy.

Cherokee Trail

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• Cedar Rapids: Connection between Morgan Creek Park and Cherry Hill Park (2020).
• Linn County: The trail will continue north into Morgan Creek Park. Construction on this segment is possible this Fall and Winter (2020–2021).
• Cedar Rapids: On-street facility between Cherry Hill Park and Jacolyn Park (2021).
• Cedar Rapids: Connection between Jacolyn Park, through Cedar Hills and Cherokee Parks, to Edgewood Road (2021).
• Future phases of this trail will wind along E and F Avenues NW, ultimately landing at the edge of the Cedar River and the Ellis Trail.

Cedar Valley Nature Trail — North (Linn County)

• Grants are secured for hard surface treatment on the trail from Center Point through Urbana. Construction could start late this year or early next (2020–2021).

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Other Projects

Indian Creek Trail (Marion)

• This trail will connect the Boyson Trail in Marion to Tower Terrace Road along Indian Creek. Letting for bids is likely to occur in early 2021, with construction to follow.

10th Avenue Sidepaths (Marion)

• This project will add multiuse paths to both sides of 10th Avenue, from 35th Street to Eagleview Drive.
• Letting for bids is likely to occur early 2021, with construction to follow.

MISD/Safe Routes to Schools Trail (Marion)

• This project will utilize vacant railroad right of way to connect Marion High School with elementary, intermediate, and middle schools on a 10-foot sidepath.
• Project was let for bids in March 2020 with a late construction start date of July this year. The first phase utilizes former railroad right of way to get from Vernon Middle School to the east side of 15th Street, then south to the intersection with 3rd Avenue. https://www.cityofmarion.org/home/showdocument?id=12574 PG 87

On-street Bikeways (Cedar Rapids)

• 3rd Avenue SE Protected Bike Lanes, 5th Street SE to 8th Street SE (2020)
• 12th Avenue SE/Coe Road NE One-way Bikeway from 4th Avenue SE to E Avenue NE (2020)
• 13th Street SE/College Dr NE One-way Bikeway from 3rd Avenue SE to E Avenue NE (2020)
• Center Point Road NE Bikeway from J Avenue NE to 29th Street NE (2020)
• Bowling Street SW Bike Lanes, 50th Avenue SW to Wilson Avenue SW (2020)
• O Avenue NW Bikeway from 16th Street NW to Edgewood Road (2021)
• 6th Street SW Bikeway from 33rd Avenue SW to Wilson Avenue SW (2021)
• 12 Avenue SE Bikeway from 7th Street SE to 17th Street SE (2021)
• Center Point Road NE Bikeway from Coe Road NE to H Avenue NE (2021)
• Bowling Street SW Bike Lanes, 33rd Avenue SW to Wilson Avenue SW (2021)
• Oakland Road NE Bike Lanes, Center Street NE to Regent Street NE (2021)
• 8th Avenue SW Bike Lanes, 15th Street SW to Rockford Road SW (2021)