Bicyclists are itching to get back out onto the Sauk Rail Trail before the peak riding season ends, but they’ll have to wait just a little bit longer for the full repaving project to finish. According to Carroll County Conservation Director Jason Christensen, the six-mile repaving project between Swan Lake State Park and Maple River got underway earlier this summer. He says a significant stretch is already usable.
The only section remaining to be completed is the three miles of trail that runs through the City of Carroll. Christensen says the concrete is set, but they still need to complete shouldering work before bikes will be allowed to ride.
Nearly two-thirds of the $1.5 million project was paid for by a $900,000 grant from the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) through federal COVID relief funds. The remaining $600,000 was sourced through $100,000 contributions from Carroll County and the City of Carroll and nearly $400,000 in private fundraising.