RIVERDALE, Iowa — A gate in a Riverdale neighborhood is at the center of a legal fight and a dispute between two cities. The fence sits in the Havens Acres neighborhood, to keep bicyclists and pedestrians from cutting through Kensington St. to get to and from the Mississippi River Trail and Duck Creek Trail.
"What the city has done is force riders, walks and runner to go across U.S. 67," John Harrington says.
Harrington is one of the plaintiffs in the case, as the Quad City Bicycle Club and Cornbelt Runners Club sue the city of Riverdale and want the gate gone.
"We'll stay with (the case)," he says. "We're not gonna drop it."
Harrington says the crossing at U.S. 67 to access both trails is unsafe at times due to heavy traffic at State and Bellingham streets.
"I have friends that have waited for the light in their favor," Harrington says. "They ride across and almost been hit."
"That's actually an approved bike crossing," Riverdale Mayor Mike Bawden says. "We've never received a complaint about that crossing until a few months ago."
Mayor Bawden says the area see hundreds of cyclists and pedestrians daily, but this cut through has become an inconvenience for the neighborhood.
"It's not fair to expect people in that neighborhood since the 1940's to all of a sudden have 200 guests a day walking past their front door," Mayor Bawden says.
Now, Bettendorf City Council is voting Tuesday night to possibly cut off snow removal and some inspection services to Riverdale because the gate still stands.
"It's unfortunate and I'm sad to see it happen," Mayor Bawden says. "Politics are what politics are."
"Bettendorf is just showing their displeasure with Riverdale's decision," Harrington says.
The City of Riverdale did dedicate $25,000 in improvements in next year's budget and establish an ad hoc committee at its September meeting, with city council members and members of both clubs, to discuss safety concerns.
The plaintiff's attorney is paid for by both clubs and donations from the community.