Des Moines Sun

The Waukee City Council recently approved a long-awaited project to extend the Heart of the Warrior Trail.

During a recent meeting, Waukee officials discussed an extension project the trail, is an established paved trail than runs through most of the major neighborhoods and areas of Waukee. The city has been discussing extending the trail since 2021. The trail has slowly expanded over the years, reaching across Alice Street and connecting to Clive’s Greenbelt Trail in Lions Park. The trail runs a total of roughly three miles through Waukee, but will now cross over Sixth Street with a pedestrian crossing and continue on.

Part of the extension project will have the sidewalks on either side of Sixth Street adhere to ADA compliance standards. The new extension will go farther west and will cut into the currently developing retail center on the north side of the trail. While the trail won't run too much farther, the city plans to extend it west as those properties in the area near 10th Street start to be defined and the city can make official decisions and property lines to extend the Warrior Trail.

No one made any public comments about the trail either in the public comment session, over zoom or by having sent any notice to the board before hand. The estimated cost of this project is around $88,000 for the pavement removal, trail paving, restoration, traffic control and other aspects. The council reviewed the signage for the crossing over Sixth Street, different than some other intersections, and approved the plans and the construction contract.

"I would also add that we are planning to put signage up at this location primarily because it is not an exit or a through to the Raccon River Valley Trail," Waukee Parks and Recreation Director Matt Jermier said at the meeting. "They're going to want to go north there instead of crossing unless they're going to that Hickman Retail Center. So there'll be additional signage put there."