Mount Pleasant Trail connecting parks nearly done

Tue September 07 2004
Posted Sep 7, 2004
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By AIMEE TABOR atabor@thehawkeye.com MOUNT PLEASANT — Taking a walk or jogging to and from two city parks soon will become easier. A third piece of a trail puzzle for the city is expected to be completed this fall, which will connect McMillan Park and East Lake Park. The three–mile stretch of trail is part of an 11–mile loop planned to encircle the city that will be completed in different phases, City Administrator Brent Schleisman said. The entire trail will be paved in asphalt. Once the newest section is completed, the third phase, residents will be able to walk, jog, roller blade or bike between parks without having to travel on city streets. "Phase three runs by the high school property," Schleisman said. "It will connect phases one and two. People will be able to start at McMillan and end at East Lake by fall." The third phase will connect the first and second phases. The first phase runs from McMillan Park to Grand Avenue, and the second from East Linden Drive near South Spruce Avenue to East Lake Park The third will run from Grand Avenue, around the high school property and connect to South Spruce Avenue. The section from South Spruce to East Lake Park was completed before the connecting section because it crosses the new U.S. 218. With the highway separating the trail's path to East Lake Park, city officials wanted to ensure residents still would have access. "We had to do this next because of the four–lane highway," Schleisman said. "We had to negotiate with the Iowa Department of Transportation to build a pedestrian overpass." The third phase, like the first two, is being funded by a grant from IDOT, Parks Director Kory Alfred said. "The grant pays 80 percent with a local match of 20 percent," he said. The third phase will cost about $375,000. The first was about $89,000 and the second $130,000, Schleisman said. Additional plans are in the works to connect the two parks with Saunders Park on the west side of the city, Schleisman said. "Hopefully, we'll be connected to Saunders by 2010," he said. To connect to Saunders, the city will be discussing plans with the Henry County supervisors because the route to the park will be in the county. Schleisman met with the supervisors Tuesday to discuss the trail and its status. From that meeting, the supervisors said they will review the documentation given to them so far and formulate a step–by–step plan on how to proceed. That plan will be sent to all parties involved in the trail's development, chairman Gary See said. Besides the county, the city is trying to coordinate connecting another section of trail being built in the county to its trail. The Henry County Trails Association is building a half–mile section of trail between 249th Street west of Iowa Avenue to Oakland Mills Road, according to Chuck Albright, chairman of the organization. That section will connect to the city's first phase. "We're building it with all donated money," Albright said. "We raised $55,000 for it." The association is looking for some help from the county on its portion of the trail in the form of materials and a commitment that it will be part of the county trail system and not abandoned, Albright said. Although the trail is being completed in phases, there's plenty of activity on it, Alfred said. "I'm surprised at the usage since we built the second phase," he said. The trail also will give people the chance to bike, walk or jog to get from different areas of the community without ever having to go on the streets. Source: http://www.thehawkeye.com/daily/stories/ln11_0902.html