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More than two years after proposing a bike and walking trail in memory of their son Chris, Gene and Barb Ashby saw construction on the 1.5-mile trail east of Luverne begin last week.
Henning Construction of Adrian is moving dirt for the 8-foot-wide bituminous surface path.
Workers followed stakes set by DGR engineers of Rock Rapids for the recreational trail that begins at the Luverne City Park and extends east to County Road 9.
Luverne Area Community Foundation is the fiscal agent for the project, which the Ashbys committed $1 million in 2019 to complete.
Emily Crabtree, LACF director, said because Henning’s bid was under the engineer’s estimate, the Ashby Trail was extended west through the city park and now connects with the Luverne Loop trail.
Instead of 1.35-miles long, the recreational trail is now 1.5-miles in length.
It winds through trees along a route south of the Ellis and Eastern Railroad.
Landowners requested no payments for perpetual easements for the trail to be on their properties.
Property owners include the city of Luverne, Dean and Jennifer Tofteland, William Cowell and the Rock County Sportsman’s Club.
The trail is expected to be done in September, at which time Rock County will assume ownership of it and responsibility for maintaining it.
The “Chris Martin Ashby Memorial Trail” honors the Ashbys’ son, Chris, who died in an automobile accident in 2006 at age 16.