2017 Regional Trails Plan
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Chariton Valley Transportation Planning Affiliation – RPA 17 Final 2017 Regional Trails Plan Prepared By: Chariton Valley Planning & Development Council 308 North 12th Street Centerville, Iowa 52544 (641) 437-4359 www.charitonvalleyplanning.com 1 | P a g e Chariton Valley Transportation Planning Affiliation – RPA 17 2017 Trails Plan 1. Acknowledgements………………………………………………………………………………3 2. Executive Summary………………………………………………………………………………4 3. Introduction………………………………………………………………………………………5 4. Public Involvement………………………………………………………………………………5 5. Goals & Objectives………………………………………………………………………………7 6. Existing Trails Systems …………………………………………………………………………8 a. Appanoose County …………………………………………………………………………………………11 b. Clarke County ………………………………………………………………………………………………13 c. Davis County…………………………………..……………………………………………………………15 d. Decatur County………………………………………………………………………………………………16 e. Lucas County ………………………………………………………………………….……………………17 f. Monroe County………………………………………………………………………………………………19 g. Wayne County……………………….………………………………………………………………………20 h. Wayne & Lucas Counties……..………..……………………………………………………………………21 i. Beyond RPA 17 Trails………………………………………..……………………………………………..23 7. Locally Proposed Regional Trails Improvements………………………………………………24 8. RPA 17 Recommendations……………………………………………………………..…….…27 Regional Proposals……………………………………………………………………………….……………28 9. Appendix ………………………………………………………………………………………33 a. Appendix A – Trails & Enhancement Funding Sources ……………………………………………………...33 b. Appendix B – Local Trails Information & Contacts………………………………………………………….35 c. 2016 Water Trails Projects……………………………………….……………………………………………38 d. DNR Recognized Equestrian Trails…………………………………………………………………………..39 e. Appanoose County Lake Rathbun Snowmobile Trails……………………………………………………….40 f. DOT Statewide Network Trails Vision………………………………………………………………………..44 g. RPA 17 Local Trails Committees Trails & Vision……………………………………………………………45 h. Iowa Historic Sites…………………………………………………………………………………………….64 i. Iowa DNR Lands……………………………………………………………………………………………...65 j. Iowa Canoe Access Points…………………………………………………………………………………….66 k. RPA 17 Regionally Proposed Trails……………………………………………………………………….…67 l. RPA 14 Trails Visioning Map………………………………………………………………………………...68 m. RPA 15 Recommended Trails………………………………………………………………………………...69 n. RPA 17 Regional Trails Meeting Minutes……………………………………………………………………70 o. Adjacent County Trails for Connectivity……………………………………………………………………..79 p. RPA 17 Survey Results………………………………………………………………………………………..80 2 | P a g e 1. Acknowledgements BOARD MEMBERS EXECUTIVE POLICY BOARD MEMBERS The Executive Policy Board is a group of elected officials appointed to CVTPA by member counties and cities within the region to determine all policy and make all decisions on behalf of the seven- county entity. Name Title County, City or Agency Neal Smith Board of Supervisor Appanoose County Jan Spurgeon Councilperson City of Centerville Marvin McCann Board of Supervisor Clarke County Ron Bride Board of Supervisor Davis County JR Cornett Board of Supervisor Decatur County Dennis Smith, Chair Board of Supervisor Lucas County Vern Vogel City Councilperson City of Chariton Denny Amoss Board of Supervisor Monroe County Tom Murphy Mayor City of Albia John Sellers Board of Supervisor Wayne County TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBERS The Technical Advisory Committee is composed of county engineers, economic development professionals, and transit directors from the seven-county region. The committee is responsible for prior reviewing and recommending policies and programs to the Executive Policy Board. Name Title County, City or Agency Matt Haden County Engineer Appanoose County Bill Buss Economic Development Appanoose Co. Econ. Dev. Dan Doerfler County Engineer Decatur County David Dotts Economic Development Wayne County Econ. Dev. David Grove County Engineer Davis County Ted Henderson Public Works Director City of Bloomfield Tom Andersen County Engineer Clarke County Todde Folkerts, Chair County Engineer Lucas County Jeremiah Selby County Engineer Monroe County Dan Tometich Economic Development Monroe Co. Econ. Dev. Trevor Wolf, Vice-Chair County Engineer Wayne County Jay Allison Transit Director 10-15 Transit Leesa Lester Transit Director Southern Iowa Trolley 3 | P a g e 2. Executive Summary The focus of this nation’s surface transportation program for many years has been the development of highway system for the efficient movement of goods and people. Our highways offer unprecedented mobility benefits, but increasing concerns about air quality, open space, and traffic congestion led Congress to create several new programs over the past ten years. These programs broaden the Federal focus on transportation from much more than just building highways to funding tied to planning requirements aimed at promoting a transportation system to meet a greater range of mobility needs, to ensure that communities are more sustainable. One key concept established in previous federal initiatives have carried forward to the concept of multi-modal transportation planning and safety. This plan will focus on the development of bike and pedestrian segments of the region’s transportation system. Trails development in RPA 17 has followed patterns of increasing development, similar to those in the rest of the U.S. While there has been a general increase in trails construction, some areas have been more active and more successful than in others. This is also the case in RPA 17 where some several counties have had success in trail development. Appanoose County made great achievements in trail development due to the construction of Honey Creek Resort on Lake Rathbun State Park. Chariton Valley Transportation Planning Affiliation prepared a trails plan in 2000 to provide goals for trail programs in the seven county areas. This trails plan was the product of an extensive stakeholder and public participation process that brought focus groups together in Chariton, Centerville, and Osceola on numerous occasions to identify the demand for trails and potential trail projects. During that time, the state had placed emphasis on the development and connection to Level 1 trails. Iowa’s new approach in 2017 is to refocus efforts and funding for connections and accessibility to rural trails. These changes and time has caused this document to surpass its usefulness and needed replaced. The State of Iowa has released the draft 2017 “Statewide Transportation Plan – Iowa in Motion”. This plan adjusts the prioritization of funding for trails. More emphasis will be placed on improving trail access and regional connectivity versus reaching Level 1 trails out to other rural trails. This will be beneficial to RPA 17 because there are no level 1 trails in our region. There are a multitude of smaller trails available in the Chariton Valley Transportation Planning Affiliation Region that would be considered Level 2 or Level 3 in significance. Resident’s most commonly think of the 22 hiking trails scattered throughout the region, however, there are other opportunities as well. One water trail and one snowmobile trail are located in Appanoose County; one snowmobile trail and one equestrian trail is available in Lucas County and one equestrian trail is available in Decatur County. “Water Trails are recreational corridors and routes on rivers and lakes that provide a unique experience all water users. Water trails help re-connect Iowans to their waterways’ history, heritage, geology, fisheries, and wildlife. Water trails provide adequate access and can include amenities like riverside camping, wild spaces, picnic areas, and restrooms, and watercraft rentals provided by local, state, and federal partners. Water trail partners at the local level are encouraged to steward the natural and economic values of their waterways to help boost local economies and give Iowans outdoor experiences just out their back doors. Iowa DNR water trails staff lead through setting standards for planning requirements, providing funding and technical assistance, and maintaining the framework of the overall system.” (http://www.iowadnr.gov/Things-to-Do/Canoeing-Kayaking/Water-Trails). The only proposed water trail 4 | P a g e development in CVTPA region will be along the Des Moines River in the northeast tip of Davis County in 2018. Equestrian (horse) activities and facilities are available in three locations throughout RPA 17: Nine Eagles State Park, Stephens State Forest and McGowen Recreational Area. This public land provides trails that accommodate horseback riders to opportunity to witness the beauty of southcentral Iowa. The purpose of the Iowa State Snowmobile Association works “to stimulate and advance the general welfare and safety of winter sports enthusiasts; to provide a medium for the exchange of snowmobiling; to serve the interests of snowmobile owners in the state of Iowa; to information; and to perform all desirable and lawful functions for the successful operation of the association and in the general public interest.” The Rathbun Snowmobile Trail is supported by the ISSA and maintained by a local committee in Appanoose County. Red Haw Lake in Lucas County offers snowmobiling along the east and south side of the lake. It is maintained by the local conservation board. 3. Introduction This document was prepared by Chariton Valley Planning & Development Council of Governments for Iowa Department of Transportation for Regional Planning Affiliation 17 (RPA 17). This plan will replace the original Trails Plan that was created in 2000. The 2017 Regional Trails Plan will be