Shea said the proposed trail would run along the east side of Iowa Highway 191, also known as Railroad Highway, up through Underwood and then to Neola, a stretch of some 17 miles. Down the road, that trail could connect with another one going east to Atlantic and beyond. He said also, atrail from the county jail to Crescent and then on to the Hitchcock Nature Center could also be a future goal, he added.

The Iowa West Foundation awarded a $1.1 million grant to the project. The remaining funds came from a federal recreation grant of $300,000, a state recreation grant of $700,000, a $425,000 grant from the Metropolitan Area Planning Agency, a $38,000 grant from Iowa’s Resource Enhancement and Protection, or REAP, program and $60,000 from the Board of Supervisors.

While providing the Board with an update on the project, Shea also requested an additional $60,000 commitment from the board for the next two years, at least, citing some requirements necessary to secure additional grants. He estimated the 17-mile trail would cost $5.5 million, not including what Underwood and Neola would pay for the trail through their communities. The trail from the county jail to Hitchcock would run about $4 million, not including Crescent’s cost, Shea said.

The board did not take any action on allocating additional money during Tuesday’s meeting.