Federal and state grants totaling more than $800,000 will allow Story County to expand the Heart of Iowa Nature Trail and make several other improvements to local trails.

“What we are doing right now is developing successive segments as we are able to generate enough state and federal revenue,” said Steve Lekwa, director of the Story County Conservation Board. “We are about to begin `Phase 5′ some time this summer, which will run west from Maxwell . and be completed hopefully by fall.”

The grants total $852,150 and will allow the trail to go through other expansions over the next few years as they’re approved, said Carol Williams, special projects ranger of the Story County Conservation Board.

“We have other developments in the process, including a 1.5-mile trail to Collins and a route from S14 to Cambridge, which will include a bridge over the Skunk River,” she said. “The trail to Collins should be complete sometime around fall 2003, and the others will develop as we receive the approval and grants.”

Lekwa said Story County has received the money from several sources, but primarily from “enhancement funds” from the Iowa Department of Transportation

“A portion of these address enhancement through federal highway taxes and local match funds, which have allowed us to do all the repair work,” he said.

Lekwa said the trails will remain open for public use during the construction for hiking, biking and cross country, as well as seasonal equestrian and snowmobile use.

Story County’s trails are already unique, Williams said. The county offers an equestrian trail and a rare limestone bike trail, he said.

“We were the recipients of a double-track railroad, which has allowed us many opportunities for unique additions to the trail,” Williams said.

Lekwa said the popularity of the trails will increase with the improvements.

“The longer the trail, the more use it will see,” Lekwa said. “We expect to see use jump with each additional trail.”