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City greenway: 12.1 miles and growing
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By Kris Hilgedick
khil@newstribune.com
Jefferson City civic leaders on Friday cut the ribbon on one new trail section and broke ground on another, highlighting the fact the city now has 12.1 miles of greenway in play.
For the 2008 construction season, Department of Parks and Recreation planners are focusing on five new extensions. Two are essentially complete, two are in the works and the fifth likely will only be designed this year.
The two completed sections are a 0.9 mile trail, connecting West Edgewood Drive with County Park, and a 0.2 mile street connecting East Elm Street with McCarty Street.
The County Park project cost $351,687, with transportation enhancement grants paying $196,206 of the cost and city sales taxes covering $155,481. The Elm-to-McCarty project cost about $125,000. That portion of the trail - winding along east Wears Creek under Highway 50 - connects Simonsen Ninth Grade Center, Community Park and much of the Lincoln University campus.
“The intent of the greenway system is to connect parks, schools, open spaces, residential areas and business districts,” said Park Resources Director J.J. Gates. “In the future we hope all the pieces connect together.”
Extensions tend to go where easements are easiest to obtain. Gates said building on the west side of town has proven easier than on the east, where land is already built up.
Most of the greenway system has been constructed on land that was given to, not purchased by, the department.
The two sections in the works for this summer are a .4 mile trail from County Park to Covington Gardens and a .2 mile trail from the Katy Trail north toward the Jefferson City limits.
The extension to Covington Gardens is being cooperatively funded by a transportation enhancement grant ($104,623), city sales tax ($28,167) and county tax dollars ($28,167).
The northern trail will give Holts Summit users a better approach to the Katy Trail. That cooperative project is being co-funded by Callaway County, Holts Summit, the Holts Summit Betterment Association and private donors.
“We're hoping to have very little out-of-pocket because other players have contributed so much,” said Gates.
The last project, under design, will contemplate a way to link West Main Street to Adrian's Island.
2007 was also a big construction season for the Park Resources Division.
One of last year's major projects was a 1.3-mile section of greenway meandering throughout Ellis Porter/Riverside Park. That concrete walkway someday may connect to the Missouri State Penitentiary site to the northwest and to the Boggs Creek watershed to the southeast.
Part of it was paid by grants for recreational trails, administered by the state Department of Natural Resources.
Gates said neighbors who aren't familiar with the new Ellis Porter trail can access it from a spur on Riverside Drive.
Between 50 and 60 percent of the costs of Jefferson City's greenways have been paid for by grants - primarily federal transportation enhancement grants administered by MoDOT.
“We've been fortunate,” said Gates. “Greenways continue to be popular.”
He wasn't certain if use has gone up or down - it can be hard to calculate - but he suspects the cross-city trails are only growing more popular as gas prices rise.
“I see more folks out walking and biking,” he said.
Earlier on Friday, a group of civic leaders gathered at County Park to cut the ribbon on the new 4,400-foot greenway. On a day that was overcast, but not yet muggy, Parks Commissioner Steve Duncan said: “It's an exciting day for us. We're glad to be involved and we hope all citizens make use of the nice, new greenways.”
“It's all about cooperation,” added Western District Commissioner Chris Wrigley.
For the 2008 construction season, Department of Parks and Recreation planners are focusing on five new extensions. Two are essentially complete, two are in the works and the fifth likely will only be designed this year.
The two completed sections are a 0.9 mile trail, connecting West Edgewood Drive with County Park, and a 0.2 mile street connecting East Elm Street with McCarty Street.
The County Park project cost $351,687, with transportation enhancement grants paying $196,206 of the cost and city sales taxes covering $155,481. The Elm-to-McCarty project cost about $125,000. That portion of the trail - winding along east Wears Creek under Highway 50 - connects Simonsen Ninth Grade Center, Community Park and much of the Lincoln University campus.
“The intent of the greenway system is to connect parks, schools, open spaces, residential areas and business districts,” said Park Resources Director J.J. Gates. “In the future we hope all the pieces connect together.”
Extensions tend to go where easements are easiest to obtain. Gates said building on the west side of town has proven easier than on the east, where land is already built up.
Most of the greenway system has been constructed on land that was given to, not purchased by, the department.
The two sections in the works for this summer are a .4 mile trail from County Park to Covington Gardens and a .2 mile trail from the Katy Trail north toward the Jefferson City limits.
The extension to Covington Gardens is being cooperatively funded by a transportation enhancement grant ($104,623), city sales tax ($28,167) and county tax dollars ($28,167).
The northern trail will give Holts Summit users a better approach to the Katy Trail. That cooperative project is being co-funded by Callaway County, Holts Summit, the Holts Summit Betterment Association and private donors.
“We're hoping to have very little out-of-pocket because other players have contributed so much,” said Gates.
The last project, under design, will contemplate a way to link West Main Street to Adrian's Island.
2007 was also a big construction season for the Park Resources Division.
One of last year's major projects was a 1.3-mile section of greenway meandering throughout Ellis Porter/Riverside Park. That concrete walkway someday may connect to the Missouri State Penitentiary site to the northwest and to the Boggs Creek watershed to the southeast.
Part of it was paid by grants for recreational trails, administered by the state Department of Natural Resources.
Gates said neighbors who aren't familiar with the new Ellis Porter trail can access it from a spur on Riverside Drive.
Between 50 and 60 percent of the costs of Jefferson City's greenways have been paid for by grants - primarily federal transportation enhancement grants administered by MoDOT.
“We've been fortunate,” said Gates. “Greenways continue to be popular.”
He wasn't certain if use has gone up or down - it can be hard to calculate - but he suspects the cross-city trails are only growing more popular as gas prices rise.
“I see more folks out walking and biking,” he said.
Earlier on Friday, a group of civic leaders gathered at County Park to cut the ribbon on the new 4,400-foot greenway. On a day that was overcast, but not yet muggy, Parks Commissioner Steve Duncan said: “It's an exciting day for us. We're glad to be involved and we hope all citizens make use of the nice, new greenways.”
“It's all about cooperation,” added Western District Commissioner Chris Wrigley.
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