Skip to main content

Ashby family proposes county bike trail in son's memory

By
Mavis Fodness

A bike trail in memory of Chris Ashby received support last week from Rock County Commissioners.
Gene and Barb Ashby of rural Luverne outlined their proposal April 16 during the commissioners’ regular meeting.
Commissioners voted 4-0 to allow staff to engineer and research possible funding sources for a county bike trail. Commissioner Sherri Thompson was not present.
Barb Ashby said the couple made plans in late 2011 to build a bike trail to honor their 16-year-old son who died in a 2006 car accident.
“At the beginning we would put up $1 million toward this and we would like matching funds either by labor, grants or other funds,” she read from a statement. “Originally we would like to build five or six miles of trail. Unfortunately, that distance keeps declining each year due to the cost.”
Currently the couple would like the path finished in late 2020.
The county highway department will assist the Ashbys in finding an appropriate location for a bike path.
The Ashbys proposed locating the path east of Luverne, away from County Road 4, toward the Luverne Country Club.
They would like the path to connect with the existing city hiking and biking path on Blue Mound Avenue.
Gene Ashby pointed to an old railroad bed, above the flood plain, for the east route out of Luverne. The path would wind south of County Road 4 within an existing tree line.
“When you’re biking, especially in the summer, it’s nice to have some shade,” Barb said.
Holly Sammons with the Luverne Economic Development Office joined the meeting.
She explained the city of Luverne applied for Phase 3 funding of the Loop in March.
Grant recipients will be notified in July with possible bid letting in the spring of 2020 and construction in the summer of 2020.
“It might be something strategic in bidding both projects around the same time so the same contractor can bid on both of them,” Sammons said.
In the meantime, board chairman Greg Burger said county personnel will do some planning.
“We just have to do some homework,” he said. “We appreciate you bringing it forth and your effort in trying to get this done. I get a feeling we are on board to do what we can to help this project going forward.”

You must log in to continue reading. Log in or subscribe today.