Greenbelt Projects to Close Clive Trail

CLIVE, Iowa — Beginning October 9 the Clive Greenbelt Park will be busy with activity as two major projects get underway that will greatly improve the area between N.W. 114^th Street and Porter Shelter (roughly 100^th Street).

A large number of trees and understory brush will be removed as the first phase of a Greenbelt Trail replacement and ox bow restoration project. The trees and understory brush need to be removed in order to make room for the new trail alignment and ox bow work.

Consistent with the goals of the Greenbelt Master Plan, the City of Clive plans to update the Greenbelt Trail between N.W. 114th Street and Porter Shelter in late summer of 2018. A significant section of the new trail will be moved north of the existing trail to prevent future damage to the trail from Walnut Creek bank erosion. Because of this change, trees will need to be removed to make way for the new trail. The new trail will be made safer by widening it to 10 feet and improving sight lines for users. Once the new trail is in place, new trees will be planted along the old trail line to help replace the trees that are removed.

Recognizing the importance of wetlands within the Walnut Creek Watershed, the City of Clive is taking steps to protect, restore and even create wetlands. With support from the Nature Conservancy and Polk County Soil and Water Conservation District, the City of Clive will be creating a wetland within a former meander (ox bow) of Walnut Creek. The project will result in multiple benefits: creation of approximately 2 million gallons of flood storage capacity, establishment of critical habitat, and improvement of water quality. In order to restore these ox bows, significant tree and brush removal is necessary. As with the trail replacement, trees and other plantings will be replaced in the restored areas.

The Clive Greenbelt Trail will be closed from just east of 114^th Street to Rio Valley Drive, however a posted detour route will help guide users around the impacted areas of the closed trail. The closure will begin October 9 and run through the end of November.

There is a web page on the city website that will provide project updates as both of these project progress. Please check for updates at www.cityofclive.com.