October 2025 | Raccoon River Valley Trail Association Newsletter
- Shaun Riekena
- 7 minutes ago
- 5 min read
Trail Rides Raises Support for Bridge and Resurfacing Projects
The Raccoon River Valley Trail Association wrapped up September with two successful fundraising rides — “Bridge Us Back” on September 20 and “Pave the Way” on September 27. Nearly 100 riders joined in the fun over the two weekends to support two major trail improvement projects: the rebuilding of Adel’s iconic Lighted Bridge and the resurfacing of the North Loop between Yale and Winkleman Switch.
Each event combined community spirit and a shared commitment to keeping the RRVT one of the nation’s premier trails.
We were honored to have celebrity hosts Jason Parkin (for Bridge Us Back) and State Senator Jesse Green (for Pave the Way) leading the rides and sharing in the day’s excitement.
Together, the two rides raised nearly $3,000, which will go directly toward these vital infrastructure projects.
The RRVTA extends a heartfelt thank you to all participants and volunteers who made the events possible, especially the Adel Rotary Club with their 8-person bicycle.
Donations to support both projects are still welcome — visit www.raccoonrivervalleytrail.org to contribute and help us keep the trail strong for years to come.
Adel Lighted Bridge
Progress continues on the restoration of the iconic Lighted Bridge in Adel. The Floodplain Permit has been submitted and qualifies for expedited review, helping keep the project on schedule. All other elements of the project timeline remain on track, with design engineering expected to be completed by the end of October.
Dallas County Conservation is still awaiting a response from the insurance company after filing an appeal in July regarding coverage for the bridge fire damage. Despite that pending decision, work continues to move forward toward reopening the bridge in May 2026.
In addition, resurfacing work is underway on the trail section between Ortonville and Adel. Crews are removing the old asphalt and replacing it with concrete, while also widening bridges to improve safety and enhance the trail experience for users. This work is expected to be completed this fall.
North Loop Resurfacing - Greene and Guthrie Counties
Progress is also being made on plans to improve the North Loop of the Raccoon River Valley Trail between Yale and Winkleman Switch. Greene and Guthrie counties have submitted grant applications to both the REAP (Resource Enhancement and Protection) program and the Federal Recreational Trails Program to help fund the resurfacing of this 14-mile stretch.
The proposed project will replace aging trail surfaces with new pavement and make necessary improvements to drainage and trail shoulders.
Grant decisions for the REAP program are expected to be announced later this year or in early 2026, while the Federal Recreational Trails awards are typically determined in spring 2026.
PURCHASE RRVT APPAREL
100% of proceeds support RRVT
Welcome, Shae Bernhardt—Our New RRVTA Intern!
We’re excited to share some great news — the Raccoon River Valley Trail Association has welcomed Shae Bernhardt as our new intern!
Shae is a senior at Iowa State University, where she’s double majoring in Public Relations and Event Management and will graduate in May 2026. A native of Van Meter, Iowa, she brings a wealth of real-world experience to her role with the RRVTA. Shae has completed internships with the Iowa State University Athletics Department, the Kansas City Chiefs Training Camp, and the Iowa High School Athletic Union. Through these experiences, she’s developed strong skills in event coordination, communications, and community engagement — all of which will serve her (and us!) well.
Shae began working with us the week of October 13, contributing about 20 hours a month through April 2026. She’ll be helping with communications, event planning, and outreach as we prepare for an exciting year ahead — including our 20th Anniversary Banquet and several trail fundraising events.
We’re thrilled to have Shae on board and look forward to all she’ll bring to the RRVTA.
Railbanking: How an Innovative Law Saved America's Trails
When you ride along the Raccoon River Valley Trail, you’re following a route once busy with trains hauling grain, coal, and passengers across Iowa. Today, it’s a place for recreation, connection, and community — all made possible by a federal law called railbanking.
Saving a National Resource
By the late 1970s, America’s railroad industry was in decline. Thousands of miles of tracks were being abandoned as freight traffic shifted to highways and trucks. When railroads gave up their right-of-way, the land beneath often reverted to adjoining property owners — fragmenting the continuous corridors that had once linked towns and regions.
Trail advocates, conservationists, and local communities realized what was being lost: not just rails, but irreplaceable transportation corridors. They urged Congress to find a way to preserve these routes before they disappeared forever.
In 1983, Congress responded by amending the National Trails System Act to create the concept of railbanking — a policy that allows unused rail corridors to be “banked” for future rail use while being used in the interim as public trails.
How Railbanking Works
When a railroad wants to abandon a line, a public agency or nonprofit can request to manage the corridor for trail use. The U.S. Surface Transportation Board (STB) oversees this process and issues what’s called a Notice of Interim Trail Use (NITU).
Once approved, the rails can be removed and a trail developed, but the right-of-way remains intact under federal jurisdiction. That means the corridor is preserved for potential future rail service — while serving immediate community and recreational needs.
In simple terms, railbanking turns “abandoned” tracks into “sleeping” transportation assets — active as trails now, but ready to wake up as rail lines if ever needed again.
Why It Matters
Railbanking has been one of the most successful land-use and recreation policies in U.S. history. It’s credited with preserving over 25,000 miles of rail corridors nationwide, many of which have become treasured community trails.
In Iowa, the Raccoon River Valley Trail, High Trestle Trail, and Wabash Trace Nature Trail all owe their existence to railbanking. Without it, these continuous routes would have been lost piece by piece to private ownership, making long-distance trails and regional loops nearly impossible to build.
For communities, railbanked trails mean:
Economic opportunity through tourism and local spending,
Health and recreation benefits for residents, and
Environmental protection by reusing existing corridors rather than disturbing new land.
A Legacy Worth Protecting
More than forty years after its passage, the railbanking program continues to safeguard America’s trail network. It stands as a model of practical, bipartisan problem-solving — turning industrial decline into a foundation for recreation, conservation, and community growth.
So the next time you ride the Raccoon River Valley Trail, imagine the trains that once rolled through Iowa’s countryside — and appreciate the foresight that ensured those same corridors still connect our communities today.
Did You Know?
The Raccoon River Valley Trail follows a former Milwaukee Road rail line railbanked in the late 1980s.
More than 360 miles of Iowa’s trails exist today because of railbanking.
The High Trestle Trail Bridge sits on a railbanked corridor once used to haul coal from Madrid to Ankeny.
Railbanking has preserved over 180 rail corridors across the U.S. for future transportation use.
