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Council approves Carlson Park Gateway Trail contract after hearing from Trails Coalition
Summary
Council held a public hearing and approved plans and awarded a contract for the 2025 Carlson Park Gateway Trail project, a 5.7-mile natural-surface mixed-use trail system that includes a one-mile skills course; the project received state SRT grant support and broad local fundraising.
Decorah — The City Council held a public hearing and approved plans and awarded a contract for the Decorah 2025 Carlson Park Gateway Trail project, a proposed 5.7-mile natural-surface network of mixed-use trails that will include a one-mile bike-optimized skills section and approximately 4.7 miles of beginner- to intermediate-level multi-use trails.
Benjy Nichols, vice chair of the Decorah Parks and Recreation Commission and a member of the Carlson Park Trails Coalition, told the council the project has been in development for five to six years and enjoys broad public support. Nichols said the project has attracted more than 100 individual donors surpassing six figures in commitments, local Rotary support and approximately $300,000 in Iowa DOT State Recreational Trails (SRT) grant funding.
The council packet included a 30% construction estimate and a low bid; staff noted the engineer’s estimate for the full project was $469,084.49 and the low bid came in about $106,000 below that engineer estimate. The council voted to accept the plans and award the contract following the public hearing.
Why it matters: The Gateway Trail is the first implementation of a comprehensive park plan for Carlson Park and represents both recreational and tourism investments while adding new trail infrastructure for residents.
Discussion and scope: The project description in staff materials calls for natural-surface mixed-use trails, a mountain-biking skills course with banked turns and rock features, progressive gravity trails and a short beginner cross-country loop. Staff advised that the Board of Park Commissioners recommended approval and that no written objections had been received prior to the hearing.
Decision: The council approved the resolution to adopt the proposed plans and specifications and awarded the construction contract. Staff noted that SRT funding may require additional state oversight steps during the project and that the Trails Coalition and other community groups have offered to help with donor recognition and long-term maintenance support.
Next steps: Staff will execute the award and work with the contractor and the Iowa DOT on SRT grant requirements and required reporting. The Parks and Recreation Department and the Carlson Park Trails Coalition indicated willingness to assist with wayfinding, donor recognition and future maintenance.
