The City of Sioux Center is applying for $660,000 in a COVID-19 relief grant to add about 1 ½ miles of recreation trail along the southeastern edge of the community.
The proposed section of recreational trail would start near 3rd Ave. on 20th Street SE and run east, then turn north along 13th Avenue SE to the Woodbridge residential development and connecting to the existing trail there, which heads north to Sioux Center Health.
“The thing we’re really excited about is this will connect two different trail sections there,” City Manager Scott Wynja said.
The total length of the proposed new segment of 10-foot-wide trail would be about 7,900 feet, adding to more than 7 miles of existing Sioux Center trails. This portion of the trail would be located in the existing right of way, similar to the trail to the Sandy Hollow Recreation Area.
“There are so many runners on 20th and 13th, so we have had this section on our long-term goals,” Sioux Center Trails Council member Brian Van Engen said, adding that this segment also provides connections to existing and potential future trails.
The City is applying for the dollars from the COVID-19 Relief Recreational Trails Program, which was allocated $5 million in federal relief, being administered by the Iowa Department of Transportation. The DOT anticipates grants will be announced by August 15, 2021.