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The Latest Trout Run
Trail News
The Trails of Winneshiek Public Art
Committee is displaying the artist
proposals for sculpture on the Trout Run Trail. There are 11 different artists
who have given roughly 40 proposals. The proposals can be viewed on-line by
clicking on the "$100,000 in public art" link above.
 
Crews from Brennan
Construction in Lansing have installed the third of the bike trail bridges
crossing Trout Run Creek (pictured above). It had looked like the third bridge might
not be installed before winter weather brought the project to a temporary
stop, but the crews were able to take advantage of slightly warmer
December weather.
Decorah City Engineer Lindsey
Erdman says in addition to the installation of the three bridges Segment
5--which heads south from the Trout Hatchery--has been completed.
Crews have been working on Segment 6, which runs from Highway 9 to the
Trout Hatchery.
Decorah's Masonic Lodge is
lending a hand to the Trout Run Trail project (pictured below). The Great Lights Lodge 181
has agreed to donate $10,000 to the trail. The money will pay for a
retaining wall at the Trout Hatchery. The wall is being built with rock
quarried locally at the Roverud Quarry. In recognition of the
contribution, one of the stones in the wall will have the Masonic emblem
inscribed on it.
Masonic Lodge member Tom Raulerson said his group made the contribution
because "we wanted to be part of this project." Raulerson said the trail
project has united the community behind it, which he said was a benefit to
the community after it has gone through a number of controversies.
TOW member Mike Huinker said it's good to have a group with the rich
heritage of the Masons involved in the Trout Run Trail project. And
Huinker noted that it's appropriate that the Masons are paying for the
work of a mason to build a wall.
(Decorah Fish Hatchery
manager Brian Malaise, Masonic Lodge members Carl Jacobsen and Tom
Raulerson and TOW members Mike Huinker and Kurt Johnson)
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About Trout Run
Trail
 The goal of this project is to develop a
12-mile paved recreational trail circling the City of Decorah. This
scenic trail will provide local users and visitors alike increased
recreational opportunities. The trail will boost tourism in the
area, attracting many more visitors and increasing business in area
restaurants, hotels, motels, and retail establishments.
Work on the trail project is being done by a
coalition of private citizens in the area, and governmental and
non-governmental agencies at the city, county, and state levels.
Trails of Winneshiek County (TOW), a group of county citizens, initiated
the trail project and has invested thousands of volunteer hours developing
and promoting it. TOW has completed all of the landowner outreach.
The City of Decorah, the Decorah Parks and Recreation Board, the
Winneshiek County Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Hotel/Motel Tax
Committee, the Decorah Area Chamber of Commerce, Winneshiek County
Development, Decorah Jobs, the Winneshiek County Supervisors, the
Winneshiek County Conservation Board, the Iowa DNR Fisheries, Iowa DNR
Hatchery Management, Iowa DNR Wildlife Management, and Northeast Iowa
Resource Conservation and Development are all working together in support
of the trail project.
Numerous landowners have generously provided access through their
properties, and corporate and individual donors have stepped up to provide
major amounts of capital for the trail.
The City of Decorah, Winneshiek County, the Iowa DNR, and private
landowners will share ownership of this trail. Because of the complexity
of the ownership, the City of Decorah and Winneshiek County Conservation
Board have agreed to maintain the trail. |
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Ask about Trout Run
Trail
Why didn’t
they move and re-use the Bow String Bridge at Trout Run near the Gunderson
Clinic?
Liability--No structural engineer would vouch for the bridge
structurally in its present condition as a fully re-utilized pedestrian
bridge. There are minor structural problems in the structure that would
make it questionable to move again.
Loading--Pedestrian bridges typically require design loading of at least
equal or greater that of a regular bridge due to possibility of "packing
the bridge with people moving people".
Longevity--Even if the bridge was moved it would have to serve this
purpose for at least the length of time the new bridge will (approximately
50 to 75 years). There is no way to guarantee this, based on the current
condition of the bridge.
Funding--The relocated bridge would likely require more maintenance.
Future maintenance funds will more likely be needed for trail resurfacing
rather than expensive bridge maintenance or even unexpected replacement.
Construction--In order to move the bridge it would have to be fully
stripped down to get the weight down to be moved. Power lines in the
area would make it more difficult to relocate the much bigger old bridge
rather than placing the new one. The old bridge is wider, longer and
taller. The wooden deck is bare minimum now. A new structural
deck would be too heavy for the structure. Roadway style wooden deck
would not provide the ride of a new concrete deck and would be a poor
surface for use by those with disabilities. The larger/longer bridge
would have conflicted with area utilities requiring possible relocation of
water mains, gas, and/or power lines. The cost of the modifications
to take apart, move/reassemble, redeck, reinforce and prepare and alter
the site were not justified as compared to the maintenance costs and
unpredictable life span of the relocated structure. The larger old
bridge would require larger, more expensive abutments and would be more
difficult to fit into this setting due to conflicts caused by the length.
The opening under the current Bowstring location serves a flood flow
purpose. All or part of this opening may have had to be retained with some
type of crossing if the bridge was moved.
Winter Use--It is possible that this trail segment (Montgomery Street to
Gundersen/Walmart) will be plowed for winter use. The typical truck plow
used would not be allowed on the Bowstring (thus the concrete planters at
each end now) as it is currently configured.
The above are also the reasons that the old bridge continues as a focal
feature of the park, but is not being used as part of the trail even in
its present location. It continues as an exhibit example of this type of
bridge, but is not adequate to be returned to use as a full service
bridge. |
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This website is sponsored
by Trails of Winneshiek, a non-profit organization of Winneshiek County
citizens who have initiated the trail project and have invested thousands
of volunteer hours developing and promoting it.
Contact Trails of
Winneshiek through the Decorah Area Chamber of Commerce at
director@decorah-iowa.com.
Donations to the Trout
Run Trail are handled through the Winneshiek County Community Foundation,
a 501(c)3 organization that can be reached at P.O.Box 1176, Waterloo, IA
50704 |
