Trail and conservation enthusiasts worry a road expansion to suit a new Microsoft data center in West Des Moines will destroy 20 acres of wooded recreational trail, and the concerns have city planners re-examining options.
In a letter to the Metropolitan Planning Organization’s policy board last week, the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation expressed “major concerns” over a 2-mile portion of The Great Western Trail which sits directly in the path of a proposed extension of Veterans Parkway. West Des Moines City Manager Tom Hadden said the letter was a "wake-up call" and asked city engineers to take a look at alternatives.
Read more...