Gates installed along the riverfront and Duck Creek bike paths to protect bike riders during high water situations.
The gates will bicycle prohibit traffic in unsafe areas during flooding, Parks and Recreation Director Scott Hock. There are gates in two locations along the Mississippi River and three locations along the Duck Creek bike path.
“We do not plan on putting them up in anticipation of flooding, only when there is an actual safety issue along the trail,” he says. “As an example, there are several locations along Duck Creek where the creek goes out of its bank during flash floods.
“In the past, we have had to scramble to find enough barricades to block off the path to protect trail users from going into these areas,” he says. “Over the winter, staff identified several locations where we routinely put up barricades to keep riders safe during flash floods or high water times. Instead of having to scramble to find barricades for these locations we have installed swing gates for Parks staff to more efficiently protect our users from driving accidently into flood waters.”
The gates are painted with highly visible yellow paint and will also have high visibility reflective tape so should be seen from a distance and in low light. They aren’t located after a corner or a blind turn.
Often, when the Parks Department has put up temporary barricades, they are swept away because water reaches a higher flood level before they can be moved. The gates are expected to limit the loss of barricades.
The City is working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to find a solution to a drainage problem along the path near the Iowa American Water treatment plant, but until one is found, a gate is safer for riders. Once the matter is solved, the gate can be removed.