Metro leaders lukewarm on Corbett's idea to shift street funds to trails; Corbett sees trails as key to luring firms, people

HIAWATHA - The Corridor Metropolitan Planning Organization is trying to figure out if its likes Cedar Rapids Mayor Ron Corbett's idea of devoting $3.2 to $3.5 million a year over 10 years to trail construction instead of local street projects.

The organization, which is comprised of representatives from the jurisdictions in the Cedar Rapids metro area, sounded lukewarm at best to the idea at its meeting on Thursday afternoon at Hiawatha City Hall.

Corbett first broached the trails-first concept at an earlier meeting, and the MPO decided Thursday to discuss it more at the next meeting.

Marion Mayor Paul Rehn noted that the construction of Tower Terrace Road is a priority for the metro area, and Hiawatha Mayor Tom Thies wondered where the MPO's earlier commitment had gone to support the extension of Edgewood Road from Blairs Ferry Road to Boyson Road.

Corbett pointed out that the $3-million-plus pot of money that the MPO divvies out each year really isn't much compared, for instance, to the estimated cost of $72.8 to $86.5 million to build Tower Terrace Road from Highway 13 to Interstate 380. Is the future of such a project really dependent on the MPO's small share of the project cost? Corbett wondered.

MPO member Bill Bogert noted that most street and intersection projects funded with the money cost much less, and he said the state often is willing to provide some funding for smaller projects if the MPO uses some of its allotted funds, too.

Corbett told the group that he had recently taken his children to New York City over their spring break and how they and he took note that the city leaders of New York City many years ago set aside space for Central Park, which, in and of itself, draws people to the city, he said.

Corbett wondered if the metro area could do something “special” with trails and market the metro area as having the best trails in the Midwest.

Marion's Rehn said he didn't mind making a “bold” statement about trails, but he suggested that using 100 percent of the MPOs funds for that purpose was “too bold.”