From rail towns to trail towns, 20 communities across Missouri will begin to see historic state investment in an effort to create the Rock Island Trail.
The Rock Island Corridor is a 144.3-mile section of land, stretching from Windsor to Beaufort, that was formerly used for railroad transportation.
In an event Tuesday, Missouri Gov. Mike Parson joined leadership and staff from the Department of Natural Resources to announce Ameren Missouri was transferring ownership of the land to DNR and Missouri State Parks, who will then use it to develop a bike and recreation trail.
Ameren, who owns Missouri Central Railroad Company, donated the land after it entered into an agreement, known as an Interim Trail Use Agreement, with the state in 2019.
The agreement allowed DNR to use the out-of-service rail corridor as a trail until Missouri Central Railroad Company might need it again and required the state to build up funds before the property would be fully donated.
The Missouri Department of Economic Development announced Tuesday it was contributing $2.7 million to the trail development, which brought the state to the threshold for ownership.
Under state ownership, DNR will now be responsible for developing and maintaining the property. Development alone is expected to cost $100 million.
Parson said he’s prepared to commit millions of dollars in state resources to help get the trail developed, noting that it would be an investment for generations.
DNR already owns and operates Rock Island Spur, a 47-mile trail along the larger Katy Trail, which is located on the Rock Island Corridor.
The trail is expected to take years to develop as it will be completed in phases, DNR leadership said. DNR will begin hosting community meetings in locations along the trail in January to gather public input.