Don't throw your bike in the car yet -- it's tempting with the recent warm spell -- but the state has made a major milestone in creating a second rails-to-trails project in Missouri.
As we recently reported, the state announced last week that Ameren Missouri was transferring ownership of the 144.3-mile Rock Island Corridor to DNR and Missouri State Parks.
It's a big step in what will still be a multi-year process to turn the old rail line into a trail for walkers, runners and cyclists.
The state's existing rails-to-trails project has already proved its worth. The Katy Trail is the longest-developed rail trail in the United States. It's been a boon for tourism, the economy and for recreation. More than 500,000 people visited it last year.
The Katy Trail runs east-west across the state and is close to twice as long as the Rock Island Trail, which is also an east-west trail that's south of Jefferson City. Rock Island stretches from Windsor to Beaufort.
In making the announcement, Gov. Mike Parson said the state is prepared to commit millions of dollars in state resources to help develop the trail. He said it's an investment for the future, and we agree.
"This is why the Rock Island Trail is going to be so important," Parson said. "Because there is going to be kids going down there, there's going to be families going down that trail that none of us will ever know. But we'll be part of making Missouri a better place for a lot of people."
One of the project's primary opponents has been the Missouri Farm Bureau.
"It remains to be seen whether terms of the agreement between the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and Ameren calling for $9.8 million in public, private and corporate funding to cover initial development costs will be met," Missouri Farm Bureau President Garrett Hawkins said in a statement. "We remain opposed to the use of taxpayer funds for trail conversion. We will work to ensure landowners' fencing needs and property rights are addressed in accordance with state law."
One concern has been with trespassing, but we haven't seen huge problems in that regard with the Katy Trail.
We expect the state will continue to work with neighboring farmers/ landowners to alleviate their concerns. But we also believe the positive aspects of the trail will far overshadow the negative. Overall, the trail will benefit its users and the 20 communities along the trail as well as the entire state through tourism.
News Tribune