The Iowa Transportation Commission, an administrative division of the Iowa Department of Transportation, announced Tuesday a $201,618 State Recreational Trails grant for the Raccoon River Valley Trail to High Trestle Trail connector project.
The Dallas County Conservation Board’s connector project was one of five projects approved for about $1 million in State Recreational Trails Program funding. The state funding for the RRVT-HTT connector will be combined with a recent Federal Recreational Trail Grant of $328,175 and applied to Phase IV construction of the project.
The Phase IV funds may be used, along with Phase III funds, for construction in 2021. Phase III will pave another one-mile section of trail westward from Woodward, and Phase IV will continue the eastward construction of the trail from Perry to M Avenue.
The State Recreational Trails Program was created in 1988 with the purpose of developing and maintaining recreational trails and trail-related facilities for both motorized and non-motorized trail users. The funding is available to cities, counties, state agencies, local governments and nonprofit organizations through an annual application-based program.
Other projects funded in this cycle included the Flint River Trail, High Trestle Trail Extension in Ankeny, Little River Scenic Pathway and Tatonka Ska Trace Rail Trail.
Moving forward, the Dallas County Conservation Board still needs essential private and corporate donations to make this overall $5 million to $6 million project a reality. Private and corporate donations are used as matching dollars for the state and federal grants.
Contributions of $1,000 or more are eligible to receive recognition on trailhead signs. This project goes as fast as the funding allows. To make a contribution to our Raccoon River Valley Trail to High Trestle Trail Connector project you can go to the DCCB website or call DCCB Director Mike Wallace at 515-465-3577.
