The Iowa Department of Transportation came through with a grant to help fund the connector trail project in Dallas County, which was recommended for approval last month.

Dallas County Conservation was the recipient of a $328,175 contribution from the Iowa Transportation Commission through their Recreational Trails Program, which officially brings the “Let’s Connect” project to 80% funded. The DOT grant was the latest of three large donations received since the start of December, getting Conservation closer to the $5 million price tag on the nine-mile trail connector, which also included a $20,000 donation from Raccoon Valley Bank and a $25,000 anonymous donation. With funding secured, construction will begin this summer on a mile-long stretch of the trail heading west from Woodward.

A mile-and-a-half of the trail running east from Perry was completed in 2018, and the rest of the gap will be bridged in 2021 at the earliest. The Let’s Connect project will link the Raccoon River Valley Trail in Perry with the High Trestle Trail in Woodward, joining two of the most popular trail systems in central Iowa. Dallas County Conservation continues to seek donations for the project, and to help out you can click the link below.