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Trail advocates tell Perry council the Raccoon River Valley Trail drives tourism but needs maintenance funding
Summary
Representatives from the Raccoon River Valley Trail Association told Perry City Council the 89-mile trail draws visitors who spend locally and rated trail safety highly, but highlighted costly repairs and maintenance needs — including a $700,000 bridge repair and a $5 million resurfacing project.
Representatives from the Raccoon River Valley Trail Association presented to Perry City Council on the trail’s economic and recreational value and urged the city to support maintenance and signage improvements.
Pat Steel and Doug Feifer described the Raccoon River Valley Trail as an 89-mile loop that connects 14 communities and links to other regional trails. Feifer said the trail is "the longest paved loop trail in the country" and noted it is among the small share of U.S. trails with Hall of Fame status.
The association reported results from an annual trail-user survey showing substantial out-of-town use: about 57% of respondents live outside trail towns, 38% live in communities along the trail, and 6% come from out of state. Feifer said many riders make day trips or multi-day trips, and estimated that trail users spend "about $20 per rider" in trail towns, which collectively produces significant economic activity.
Feifer outlined two major capital needs: repair of a lighted bridge damaged by arson (estimated at about $700,000) and resurfacing a roughly 13-mile stretch of original asphalt near Jefferson and Yale at an estimated cost of $5 million; he said roughly half of that resurfacing money has been secured and that the association is seeking grants to cover the remainder. He told the council that Iowa currently lacks a stable funding mechanism for trail maintenance, making grant support and local partnerships crucial.
The presenters emphasized visitor services and wayfinding as lower-cost priorities: adding public restrooms at trailheads, improving signage directing riders into downtown areas, and continued resurfacing and maintenance. They also played a short promotional video and invited Perry to promote upcoming events; they noted an annual banquet/fundraiser on April 11 and offered outreach support to Perry for marketing.
Council members asked about immediate needs and local amenities. Local residents and council members praised the trail’s condition in Perry and suggested creating a photo or visitor moment where the High Trestle Trail and the Raccoon River Valley Trail converge to attract attention to Perry’s trail access.
The presentation closed with an appeal that sustaining trail maintenance will protect the trail’s economic and public-health benefits for Perry and neighboring towns.
