Tunnel To Nowhere Will Finally Have Destination

The lights are on, but no one is riding through a lonely bike trail underpass beneath Alice’s Road in Clive. It’s a tunnel without a destination, but plans are finally in place to change that.

Westward Expansion

The City of Clive is planning to extend the Little Walnut Creek Trail more than a mile to the southwest, from Alice’s Road to Warrior Lane, the city’s boundary with Waukee. The trail’s current ending – the tunnel under Alice’s Road – will be the starting point for the extension.

The existing trail within Clive’s borders is currently removed east of Alice’s Road. It was torn out in 2023 while a new sanitary sewer system was built along the north bank of Little Walnut Creek. With that project complete, work can soon begin on the expansion that’s been planned for years.

Construction Timeline

Here’s how construction will go, according to Clive Assistant City Manager Pete De Kock:

• The trail east of Alice’s Road will be rebuilt in early 2025 and reopened to cyclists that summer

• Land west of Alice’s Road will be prepared for trail construction throughout 2025

• Construction on the trail extension west of Alice’s Road will begin in 2026, and will likely open in phases before it’s fully built by the end of the year

The city has already set aside money for the multi-million-dollar project, De Kock said.

Better Connectivity

The extension of the Little Walnut Creek Trail will mean better connectivity for people biking in the western suburbs.

In Waukee:

• The trail is currently planned to end at Warrior Lane, the Clive-Waukee border

• Waukee could one day extend the trail, and has even designated it a “priority route” in its master plan for trails

• A possible route has been identified in the master plan, which shows Little Walnut Creek Trail linking up with the Raccoon River Valley Trail

In Urbandale:

• Little Walnut Creek Trail currently ends at a cul de sac on Prairie Ave.

• Urbandale’s bike trails map shows a proposed link to the Bob Layton Trail, which riders could take to get to Clive’s Greenbelt Trail

De Kock told DSM Bike Notes the goal for all cities involved is to create a seamless ride for cyclists.

“We need to make sure that as we think about our green spaces, that we’re planning for it to connect to our neighbors’ green spaces as well,” he said.

Tunnel To Somewhere

While the bike tunnel beneath Alice’s Road sits silent now, it may be just a couple years before it’s used to its fullest potential for the first time ever. Cyclists will be able to zoom through the underpass before cruising past big old trees alongside Little Walnut Creek. It’s what Clive city leaders have envisioned all along.

“At the end of the day, we want to create places where people can really have wonderful experiences, make meaning,” De Kock said.

How I Found Out About This

Putting this story together was a good reminder of why I started DSM Bike Notes. While I was searching for story ideas, I came across a short item on an old Clive City Council agenda that was vaguely titled something like, “Trail west of Alice’s Road.” I tried finding more information but didn’t know exactly what I was searching for, so I couldn’t really find it. It took me running out to the site and a phone call with the Assistant City Manager to figure out what was going on.

I love uncovering a morsel of a story and digging to find out more until I get enough information to share it with you. That’s why I’d love for you to share your questions with me so I can find answers. It doesn’t have to be just about a trail project. Anything that involves biking in the Des Moines area is fair game. Send me your ideas: [email protected].