(Atlantic) Nearly three decades after the T-Bone Trail project began, efforts continue to connect the trail between Atlantic and Audubon.
Dave Chase, President of Nishna Valley Trails, says Pottawattamie County is beginning to connect trails within the county, with the intention of eventually connecting to the T-Bone Trail. Early feasibility studies are underway for the proposed project.
Chase says the T-Bone Trail connection is also part of a much larger project.
The Great American Rail Trail is a 3,700-mile trail stretching from Maryland to Washington State. Chase says the project is 55 percent complete with existing trails.
He says the project is also progressing in Iowa.
Chase says the Iowa portion of the trail is about half complete, with trails around Cedar Rapids and Des Moines, extending westward to Jefferson.
The Iowa Bicycle Coalition has also studied the financial impact of trails and bicycling in Iowa. Chase says that study was localized to Cass County.
Chase says Cass County could see up to $2.3 million in economic benefits each year from trail usage and related benefits.
