The Indianola City Council moved forward with the planning of the East Hillcrest Trail Connector at their most recent meeting Monday. City Manager Ryan Waller tells KNIA News the project has been on the forefront of expanding the trail systems of the city.

“So there’s sections along the Hillcrest Trail near the YMCA, so on the east side of Highway 65/69. And we have some chunks of trail or sidewalk that just aren’t there, so what it does is that forces folks traveling to the YMCA or that area to go onto the roadway if they are biking or riding, so we want to make sure that they are traversing safely in that area.”

Waller also said the project fits in the budget for the next fiscal year, and that many community members have shared with the city that the project can’t be completed soon enough. The project is currently out for bid, and a public hearing will be held at a city council meeting in July.