Tackling the T-Bone Trail

Tuesday night I had the opportunity to sit on a committee of city, county and local officials looking into options for bringing the partially completed T-Bone trail into Atlantic. It was a good meeting and in the end we identified three possible routes we’d like to explore further. That, in my book, is progress.
For the first time city and county officials are sitting down together and trying to come to a solution that works for everyone. You can thank Atlantic Mayor John Krogman and city councilmen Dave Jones, for meeting with the county and organizing the committee. It should also be noted that the county didn’t hesitate to join the effort and have four representatives on board. All together there are 17 members all committed to finding, and implementing, the best possible plan.
It’s that kind of commitment that gives me hope that this is more than the typical committee who’s efforts result in nicely bound reports collecting dust on a shelf somewhere. The goal, in everyone’s mind, was a completed trail. That’s exciting.
The first step was to identify the best routes into the community with the goal to tie the trail into the planned trail system in Schildberg park. The trail currently ends about three miles north east of the city on Dunbar road. Three routes were identified, one, using existing railroad right of way to reach Fair River Road and eventually Olive Street, was determined to be the top choice of the committee.
Earlier this year county was informed following a bi-annual inspection, that the bridge across the Nishnabotna River on Fair River Road was dangerous and would have to be closed. According to that report five of the six pilings on the north side of the bridge were in need or repair and the bridge was no longer safe for vehicular traffic.
County officials have said that the 100-year-old bridge will not be repaired to allow traffic, so in effect there are only two options, remove the bridge or use it for pedestrian and very light recreational vehicles.
Other routes included looking into acquiring more railroad right of way east of Olive Street and routing the trail down Great River Road to the Atlantic Municipal Utilities wellfield.
No route was perfect and all have advantages and disadvantages. Sorting those out, along with assessing costs and finding funding sources, will be the work of committee at future meetings. There’s lots of work to do, but the commitment to find a suitable route and finish the trail is there. It’s a step in the right direction.

The committee:

Roland Landsness - Nishna Valley Trails
Sandy Landsness - Nishna Valley Trails
Tim Teig - Snyder and Associates
Ron Crisp - Atlantic City Administrator
Jeff Lundquist - Atlantic News Telegraph
Charles Marker - Cass County Engineer
Duane McFadden - Cass County Supervisor
Dave Dunfee - Cass County Supervisor
Steve Livengood - Atlantic City Councilman
Dave Jones - Atlantic City Councilman
Micah Lee - Cass County Conservation Director
Steve Gardner - Atlantic resident
John McCurdy - Swipco
John Krogman - Atlantic Mayor
Dave Chase - Nishna Valley Trails
Nancy Fredricksen - Atlantic Parks and Rec Committee
Travis Garrett - Atlantic Parks and Rec Commissioner

(INSIDE BASEBALL (JOURNALISM) STUFF – Because I sit on the committee, I don’t believe it would be appropriate for reports of this committee to appear on the news pages under my byline. But I do think the work being done by the committee is important and should be covered. So I will be “covering” the committee’s activities on the editorial page as part of my blog. As a result the reports may (Ok, WILL) include my opinions along with an accounting of the meetings. In the unlikely event that controversy should arise in the committee, another NT reporter will be assigned to cover it)