City, county officials dream of day when Trout Run Trail and Prairie Farmer Trail are connected

City of Decorah and Winneshiek County officials met Wednesday morning to discuss the proposed "Dry Run Creek Trail," which would connect Decorah's Trout Run Trail and the Calmar to Cresco "Prairie Farmer Trail.

The 8-mile link could cost over $8 million, but city and county officials both agreed the top priority would be to sign easement agreements with property owners along the proposed trail.  The Iowa Department of Transportation has awarded a $750,000 grant to the project, while a $100,000 REAP grant to the City of Decorah would also be used for the project.

But local officials need to complete the paperwork for a "concept statement" to the State of Iowa before any negotiations can begin on easement purchases.  City of Decorah officials on Wednesday morning gave their informal approval to spending $1,500 to pay for engineering work on the concept statement.  That cost would probably be the only one incurred by the city on the trail, since it quickly would leave the city limits.  Tentative plans call for the trail to head west and south from near the Highway 9 bridge, going under Highway 52 through a box culvert, onto property next to Windridge Implement.

But all of the plans for the trail are still tentative.  Winneshiek County Conservation Executive DirectorExecutive Director cautioned, "This is going to be a long, large project."  But Schroeder also added, "This is doable."