The first few miles of the Tallgrass Trail in Marion County will be closed beginning Monday, Oct. 2 for construction work, according to a press release issued by the Marion County Park District.

Starting at the first bridge on the trail’s east end, a contractor will be applying a pavement preservative. This section will remain closed until Tuesday morning.

The contractor will continue to treat a new section of the trail each day, moving westward, and the section being treated will be closed that day, reopening the next morning. Distances covered each day are not yet known, but each day’s segment will start and end at a road crossing. It should take about four days to treat the entire trail, but work may be delayed by inclement weather.

The Marion County Park District asks that visitors stay out of the area being treated, so that the preservative can sink in and protect the asphalt. This will also help to avoid damage to shoes and bicycles.

Only the portion being treated each day will be closed. When the portion near the Holland Road Trailhead is closed, the section near the DeCliff Trailhead will be open, and vice versa.

The nature center and the first quarter mile of trail, before the first bridge, will remain open.

The Tallgrass Trail is one of five parks owned by the Marion County Park District, and the eastern trailhead is located at 2093 Holland Road West, about two miles west of Marion.

The park district web site is www.marioncountyparks.info.