Bridging the gap between the Raccoon River Valley Trail and the High Trestle Trail is a project that has the interest of more than just people in Dallas County.

The Des Moines Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) has prioritized a list of gaps that need to be filled to improve the regional trail network.  As Perry City Administrator Butch Niebuhr explains, the local connector project is definitely on their radar.

“It was interesting, of the top five gaps that they want to fill, two of them had already been completed in the metro.  The other two in the metro, the bids have been let and they’re already working on them this summer.  The other one was the connection to the High Trestle Trail from Perry to Woodward.  So that one is still in the process but it has a lot of attention throughout the metro, that’s one that a lot of people are interested in seeing get completed.”

The MPO’s trail counters show the Raccoon River Valley Trail near Dallas Center is the fifth most popular spot for usage in the metro. The Waukee area of the trail comes in at number nine.

Niebuhr says we’re nearing the peak of cycling season so the perks of having that premiere trail in our backyards are expected to increase.