The Great River Road may soon become friendlier to leaf-lookers of the two-wheeled variety.
During its September meeting in Ames, the Iowa Department of Transportation made recommendations to award $5.5 million in grants for 12 recreational trail projects, including the section of the Mississippi River Trail (MRT) that joins Guttenberg to Pikes Peak Road via Great River Road. The commission will consider formal approval of the 12 projects at its October meeting.
The grant would return portions of Great River Road to like-new condition, smoothing the way for motorists and bicyclists alike. The wider widths of paved roadway shoulders required for MRT bicycle lanes provide motorists an added safety benefit in reduction of run-off-the-road and bridge crashes.
“Currently we have two 12-foot driving lanes with a five- foot paved shoulder on either side, and that extends from Pikes Peak Park entrance down to the road to Frenchtown. From the road at Frenchtown to Guttenberg there isn’t any paved shoulder,” said Clayton County Engineer Rafe Koopman.
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