Cedar Rapids needs to be a trail town

How exciting that Cedar Rapids is projected to be on the planned 4,000-mile, coast-to-coast Great American Rail-Trail. What fantastic business, social and economic opportunities for us.

But why wait to become a trail town when Cedar Rapids is already on a coast-to-coast trail?

The American Discovery Trail is the first coast-to-coast non-motorized trail, and Cedar Rapids is on it.

Cape Henlopen State Park in Delaware is the eastern terminus of the more than 6,800-mile trail, which passes through Delaware, Maryland, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado, Utah, Nevada and California. The western terminus is Point Reyes National Seashore in California.

The entire trail is open to hiking and bicycling, with horses welcome in some sections.

We need to learn about the ADT, and then maintain, promote and market it, We need to become a successful trail town, offering friendly, convenient, relevant goods and services.

It's getting old and tiresome to hear about Cedar Rapids waiting to market itself as a destination. Why are we waiting?

Cedar Rapids may not be known for hiking and cycling. Let's change that.

Let's become an ADT Trail Town!

Tamara Lutz

Cedar Rapids