Red Rock Prairie Trail hoping for summer/fall start

Historical survey work has put the Red Rock Prairie Trail construction a full year behind schedule. Jasper County Economic Development Corporation Director and former Hometown Pride Coach Jeff Davidson said he is hopeful the project can move forward this spring.

The Iowa Department of Transportation, which manages the grants currently awarded to the project, required the additional level of historical and cultural studies to be completed to ensure the project is not doing anything to adversely affect the original rail quarter. Unfortunately, the requirement derailed the progress of the project a calendar year.

“The state ended up requiring additional historical/cultural survey work before we finalized the RRPT construction design documents because it was determined the former rail line that will become the Red Rock Prairie Trail was one of the first three rail lines across central Iowa,” Davidson said. “That report took several months to complete. It was forwarded to the State Historic Preservation Office where it was approved and is now awaiting final federal approval under the NEPA statute.”

Once federal approval is given, Davidson said construction plans will be shored up and the project will get on the IDOT’s letting schedule. It is still hoped ground will break during the summer or fall construction season, but nothing is certain.

“So much depends on weather and how contractors are doing getting their other jobs done,” Davidson said.

Although the additional surveys were deemed necessary, Davidson said there is very little alteration happening to the corridor by the project. Essentially, the bike trail is going on top of the existing corridor, he said, and no shaping of the grade is taking place.

The trail, which has been in development for the past seven years, will eventually run to Mitchellville and Altoona to the west and Lake Red Rock to the east, has been a group effort to get completed. Jasper County Conservation teamed up with community leaders in Prairie City and Monroe along with the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation to acquire an 11-mile stretch of the abandoned railway spanning between the cities.

Through the efforts of Jasper County Conservation Director Keri Van Zante, the trail has substantial grant funding for the $2.1 million project including a $510,000 Federal Lands Access Program grant, a $263,711 Federal Recreational Trails grant, a $240,000 Transportation Alternatives Program grant and a $116,839 State Recreational Trails grant. Local contributions were also made by Prairie City and Monroe.

Contact Jamee A. Pierson at 641-792-3121 ext. 6534 or jpierson@newtondailynews.com