A statewide non-profit organization is conducting a survey in hopes of getting additional funding to apply to a needed section of the Raccoon River Valley Trail (RRVT) in Greene and Guthrie Counties.

Iowa Bicycle Coalition Executive Director Luke Hoffman is asking for people to complete a less than two minute survey that is part of an economic impact study of cycling and trails. He tells Raccoon Valley Radio, their organization did a similar study in 2012 where the top line figure was $364 million, which today would be around $500 million. Hoffman says following the recent completion of the connector between the High Trestle Trail and RRVT, making it the longest paved loop in the country of 122 miles, the city of Jefferson asked if the study could be re-launched.

TAKE SURVEY

Hoffman notes that the study will give an overall baseline money figure, but that they can break it down to what Greene County and the city of Jefferson would see as far as an economic impact, both direct with the construction of the portion of the trail that needs fixed, and indirect impact.

“What does that mean in terms of more people using the trail after that maintenance has been completed? And then finally, what you might call the induced impacts. So the impact on the rest of the community as a result of those people using the trail (such as) spending money at restaurants in Jefferson.”