A plan to develop a riverwalk on the north side of the Missouri River in Jefferson City is still moving forward, but has stalled while waiting for a permit.
Early this summer, a plan was announced to develop the existing riverwalk on the north side of the river, from the end of the pedestrian bridge through the Noren Access and to Turkey Creek, put forward by Alan Mudd through a Jefferson City Area Chamber of Commerce initiative called the Big Idea Sharing network.
The plan involves a 10-foot-wide concrete trail broken into phases to extend all the way to Turkey Creek. The first phase, which is the only part that has been definitively planned, would put the trail up to the boat ramp at the Noren Access. A future phase would put a concrete trail up to the first primitive campsite. After that, the path would be about 6 feet wide and likely made of chat, which is ground limestone. It improves an already existing natural trail Mudd has said can be difficult to walk on in inclement weather.
Joe Wilson, who is known to many for his work at the Noren Access in North Jefferson City, has been a vocal opponent of the planned project, saying that putting concrete on a nature trail will disturb the environment.
Bill Lockwood, director of the Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department, said nothing has changed in terms of planning the project, but it has been stalled as they wait for a floodplain development permit. Lockwood said the plan was presented to the Cedar City Levee District Board of Directors about two weeks ago and received the necessary approval from that entity, which was needed to get the permit.
"That's back in the hands of the floodplain engineer, and we're just waiting for him to complete his work and issue the permit," Lockwood said.
Lockwood said the details for future phases, including the planned concrete portion of the existing nature trail, could change as the project moves forward.