Celebrate new trails, take care of old ones

The Register's editorial
Mon May 16 2011
Posted May 16, 2011
1,030

Written by The Register's editorial The grand opening of the High Trestle Trail from Ankeny to Woodward was packed with people on bicycles. Iowans are especially excited about the bridge. It's 13 stories high and one of the longest in the world. Pedestrians stop to look down at the Des Moines River or read panels that highlight the history of the area. Then they can enjoy the rest of the 25 miles of wide, smooth, brand-spanking-new concrete. But things aren't necessarily so rosy on hundreds of miles of other trails around Iowa. Most are older. And not so smooth. Riding some stretches means dodging potholes while trying to enjoy the scenery. Hit a crater and your water bottle flies from its cage. Your already sore behind is further aggravated by the big bumps in asphalt. Or a low-lying branch smacks you in the head. In some areas of the Neal Smith Trail, for example, it feels like riding on speed bumps. Iowans are rightly thrilled about the construction of new trails. Yet we also must do more to take care of the ones we have. When it comes to trails, maintenance is about more than mowing and picking up trash. It's about repairing the trail itself. Mother Nature doesn't care about keeping asphalt in tact. Year after year, the Iowa ground freezes and thaws. Tree roots and dandelions push their way toward the sky - right through the trail. A perfectly smooth path may be only a few winters away from needing costly repairs. So let's fix the trails, right? That's where we're reminded of Iowa's dismal record on funding the outdoors. This state has a smaller percentage of land set aside for public use than almost every other state. Federal records list hundreds of waterways as seriously polluted. Projects in state parks are uncompleted. And our recreational trails are crumbling. Building the High Trestle Trail required about $15 million in public and private money. Everyone pitched in a little bit, and completing the project is pretty darn exiting. But like other trails, the cost of maintaining it will fall largely to the communities it runs through, including the four counties. And it's not as if local governments are flush with the money needed for the job. However, the money for maintenance on all Iowa trails can be there. It's a matter of Iowans putting pressure on lawmakers to raise the sales tax to provide money for a trust fund that voters approved last November. The majority of voters checked "yes" on their ballots for the Iowa's Water and Land Legacy Amendment. Approval amended the constitution to establish a trust fund dedicated to conservation and recreation. It ensures a small portion of a future sales tax increase will be dedicated to recreation. The sales tax needs to be increased to provide a dedicated source of revenue to many recreational and conservation endeavors, including trail maintenance. Studies show recreational trails improve property values and positively affect the economy. According to Andrea Chase of the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, new businesses are already popping up along the High Trestle Trail. Investing in the outdoors attracts new businesses and residents. It gets people outside and moving. About one million Iowans use trails each year. The people of this state love them. We turn out for pancake breakfasts to mark the building of a new one. But really having a trail system this state can be proud of means also taking care of the pathways we've been riding and walking and running on for years. They need some attention, too.