Heart of Iowa Nature Trail Bridge Construction Complete

Mon January 10 2011
Posted Jan 11, 2011
2,371

January 10, 2011 Trail Open from Cambridge to S-14 Story County Conservation is pleased to announce that the Heart of Iowa Nature Trail from Cambridge to County Highway S-14 is now open for public use. This section provides four new miles of multi-use trail through a very scenic section of Story County and provides 16 miles of continuous trail from Huxley to Collins. A grand opening of this section is planned for National Trails Day on June 4, 2011. More information on the event will be available soon. Construction began in the summer of 2008 and it has been a long and complicated process. Two bridges were built in this section, a 35-foot bridge over the Union Pacific railroad tracks in Cambridge and a 400-foot bridge over the Skunk River. The $2.4 million project was made possible by combining a number of funding sources: three separate federal transportation grants, a state Recreational Trails grant, a State of Iowa snowmobile grant, and private grants from 3M and Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino. Many private donors also contributed to the project including a gift of $10,000 from Friends of Central Iowa Biking. Story County Conservation contributed matching dollars from REAP distribution funds and donations to the Friends of Conservation Trust Fund. The Heart of Iowa Nature Trail is built on a former railroad corridor and runs from Slater to Melbourne. Currently, 22.5 miles are completed with a limestone surface for pedestrians and bicyclists and an adjacent grass surface for equestrian use. The trail is also open to snowmobiling when conditions allow. No other motorized traffic is allowed on the trail. The Heart of Iowa Nature Trail meets the new High Trestle Trail in Slater, which features one of the largest pedestrian bridges in the world. For more information about this or other programs, contact Story County Conservation at 515-232-2516 (8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday) or visit www.storycountyconservation.org. Story County Conservation manages over 3,000 acres of parks and natural areas, including lakes, campgrounds, and trails. No individual will be excluded from events conducted by Story County Conservation because of a disability or impairment. To request accommodations to participate, contact Story County Conservation.