N_C

STF had a very successful year in 2004. We managed to raise almost $30,000. Most of which will be issued to the appropriate Park & Rec Depts. in the Greater Siouxland Area for trail & bike route improvment. In fact we have already awarded a $2,500 grant to Adams Nature Preserve for improvments to their trails.

At the last steering committee meeting I learned from the Parks & Rec. Director fo Sioux City that we are the only organization like this in the state of Iowa. He is originally from Ankeny where he served as their Parks & Rec Director before accepting a job here.

In central Iowa for example there is an organization, (the name currently elludes my memory), but they are an organization in name only. They are primarily made up of the members of the park & Rec. Depts. in central Iowa. They meet maybe once a year just for an update on who is doing what & where regarding the trail systems in central Iowa. Now while this is a good thing it really isn't a proactive organization like the Siouxland Trails Foundation is. The hope is that STF will serve as a model all across the state for other communities.

In 2005 Sioux City is hosting the state wide Park & Rec. Dept. conference. Members of STF will have a presence there & hopefully be able to give talks on what we are doing & will be doing in the future.

Someone here in the forums posted a thread asking why aren't there trails every where? Well my answer to that is STF is working on that, at least in this community we are.

Here is a list of the states, counties & cities/towns we are dealing with:
In Iowa:
Woodbury County - Sioux City, Sgt Bluff
Plymouth County - Hinton, Merrill, Le Mars

In Nebraska:
Dakota County - South Sioux City, Dakota City

In South Dakota:
Union County - Dakota Dunes, North Sioux City, Jefferson, Elk Point
State Park - Adams Nature Preserve

As you can see we are dealing with a lot. But starting small & working our way out & being careful to not bite off more then we can chew at one time. For the time being we are focusing on the immediate concerns of the trails in Sioux City then we will branch out from there and address each concern as it comes along.

This is a link to the Siouxland Trails Foundation survey. Work is progressing on dealing with the issues in the survey & it is taking time but it will happen.

Check it out: https://www.myweb.cableone.net/davidh...trails.htm#Top

Please by all means tell me what you think. I would love feedback on what you think of STF's efforts.

Dchiefransom

Cool map. What's an "Existing Shared Roadway"? Can't bikes ride on those roads anyway? Fixing up trails for people that like to ride them is good.

N_C

An Existing Shared Roadway is what the City of Sioux City calls an established Bike Route on a city street. There are only a few streets left that have this designation. Cyclists are encouraged to use these city streets more then the streets that do not have this designation. However it is perfectly legal for cyclists to ride on any roadway within the city limits provided there is not an law or ordinance preventing them from doing so. Right now the only roadways that have such a law is Interstate 29 & the Highway 20/75 Bypass. There is a minimum posted speed limit of 40 mph on those roadways.

Dchiefransom

I'd probably have to see this in person to understand, typing this from an area which has a wide bike lane along the side of almost every road/street in this area, or a nice wide paved shoulder. I can see why you post so many times about your advocacy group in that area. It sounds like you need a strong one. Keep up the good fight, NC.