Cedar Valley Nature Trail to see closure between Center Point and Urbana this summer

The Cedar Valley Nature Trail will see some closures throughout the summer beginning next week.

Starting June 1, the trail will see intermittent closures between Center Point and Urbana for trail improvements, including hard surfacing, a news release Thursday from Linn County Conservation said.

The six-mile segment, between Ash Lane north of Center Point and Highway 150 west of Urbana, will see improvements to the trail grade and drainage and will eventually be paved, the release said.

Enhanced safety measures also will be installed at the I-380 underpass including trail alignment, tunnel lighting and user warning signs.

When construction is completed in early fall, the trail will be hard-surfaced 20 miles from Hiawatha to Urbana.

The trail, built on an abandoned railroad right-of-way in the 1980s, spans four counties and 52 miles from Hiawatha to Evansdale.

During a typical trail season, cyclists, walkers and joggers can pass through Robins, Lafayette, Center Point, Urbana, Brandon, LaPorte City and Gilbertville.

The trail is managed by Linn County and Black Hawk County Conservation.

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