A major project to pave two crossings on the Raccoon River Valley Trail in Greene County has been delayed.

Conservation Director Dan Towers says their goal was to pave the first two crossings south of the trailhead in Jefferson.  Together, the projects cost $45,000.  However, no bids have been received.  He explains the difficulty getting contractors to bid on the projects.

“It’s hard getting a lot of contractors interested in small projects when their book is already pretty well filled with projects.  For most contractors, these are relatively small (projects).  It’s a little tricky getting that many contractors interested in doing it.”

The funds for the projects are from grants from the Greene County Community Foundation.  The grant that the Conservation Department received this year put them over-the-top to pave the crossings.  Towers notes that a combination of safety for bikers to not have to travel across gravel roads and being consistent with the rest of the trail loop is important.

“Competing with the loop, the Raccoon River Valley Trail loop, has paved crossings.  So we’re starting to hear from bikers that they don’t want to come up to Jefferson because they’ve got to cross gravel roads at every mile.”

Towers is hoping to complete the first crossing by Labor Day weekend for the Pedaler’s Jamboree.