Support Linn County Trails and Bicycle Efforts

Ride with several Linn County officials in the 2009 Mayors' Bike Ride. This year's ride celebrates bicycling efforts and opportunites in Linn County. Flood repairs, Ellis and Cedar River Trail are now complete, Cedar Rapids' effort to achieve bicycle friendly status and new trail development are all reasons to celebrate and participate in the ride. Linn County Trails Association, Hawkeye Bicycle Association, Cedar Rapids' Bicycle Advisory Committee, Iowa Bicycle Coalition and Linn Area Mountain Bike Association will provide information and answer questions before the ride. The ride is Monday, September 7. Registration begins at 9:00am at Ellis Park, Cedar Rapids. It is free for all ages. The ride will begin at 10:15am. There are 8 mile and 2.5mile routes. Make an effort to show your support and attend.

Indian Creek Flooding Leads to Trail Closures

Boyson Trail
After the June 2008 flood, the Marion Parks Department did an excellent of quickly repairing the Boyson Trail in Marion. Last week’s heavy rain has them working again. $250,000 estimated damage resulted from flash flooding along Indian Creek. The entire length of the trail is closed. Marion Parks Director Richard Fox is asking the public not to use the trail to avoid interfering with the cleanup and rebuilding efforts. Not only does the surface of the trail need restoration, but in some sections the sub-base will also need repair (above inset). Trail repairs may take as long as two months. The Parks Department hopes to have some of the trail and the parks (Boyson and Thomas) open for use on October 15th.

Sac and Fox Trail
Flood repairs on the Sac and Fox Trail suffered a temporary setback. Work had just begun when last week’s rain elevated Indian Creek. The bridge across Indian Creek at Mt Vernon Road had been restored, but the bridge connecting the Sac and Fox Trail and the Indian Creek Nature Center is now displaced. Several areas of the trail experienced additional damage. The Sac and Fox remains closed for flood repairs, perhaps until October.