Well this year’s warm and dry summer was good for one thing… making progress on the Raccoon River Valley Trail.

Dallas County Conservation Director Mike Wallace says from a contractor’s stand point they’ve been able to get a lot of work done this year thanks to the dry weather.

We often hear stories of roads buckling due to the heat, Wallace says the newer concrete portions of the trail have been able to withstand such conditions, though the older sections weren’t as fortunate and some crack repair was needed.

Wallace says the main problem they have had with the weather is difficulty seeding the shoulder areas of the trail as there hasn’t been enough rain to help the grass grow.