A recent story in The Examiner featured trail-building efforts in Blue Springs. That city has been slowly building up a trail network over the last 17 years, and now has a plan for a city-wide network of 30 miles. One challenge in Blue Springs has been the lack of a stream corridor or abandoned railroad to provide a natural trail corridor. Instead, the city is weaving a network of trails through subdivisions, along new roadways, and even including some on-street facilities.

While most of the Blue Springs system is focused on recreational uses, the city does provide some infrastructure for transportation. Just over a year ago the city installed bike lockers at three park-and-ride lots serviced by KCATA buses to Downtown KCMO. Now if the city can just improve the connection from neighborhoods, it will be on its way towards being a bicycle-friendly city.

The Independence Examiner
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
The new city of trails
Bike path plan closer to fruition.

By Debbie Coleman-topi | deborah.topi@examiner.net

 

Roscoe Righter has spent the last 17 years working a puzzle.

The director of parks and recreation for Blue Springs has weaved an elaborate, sometimes convoluted, bicycle trail system designed to take residents from north to south Blue Springs - and beyond. The system is unique to Blue Springs because it allows travelers to pedal their way across an approximately 30-mile stretch.

Righter said Blue Springs was not the easiest place to weave a bike trail.

“We don’t have a creek or an abandoned railroad park we can use,” he said, referring to the practice used by many city officials when establishing bike trails. “It’s not an easy puzzle to put together.”

The winding stretch incorporates existing trails, such as those at Jackson County’s Fleming Park at Lake Jacomo to the south and new trails, such as the one to be built at Gregory O. Grounds Park around Lake Remembrance to the north. The process has involved meetings and negotiations with residential and commercial builders and property owners.

Some streets, such as portions of Missouri 7 and U.S. 40, also are incorporated into the trail. Roadways will be equipped with special signs warning motorists that they’re sharing the road with bicyclists. Some bike trails along roadways will be designated to use special shoulder lanes alongside the roadway.

A grant from the Mid-America Regional Council is paying for a portion of the $1 million project cost, he said. The grant will pay for 18 miles of trail on streets and 3 miles off-street on specially-built trails.

As with any project, some portions of the trail were easy to assimilate, such as those using already-existing trails. But, others, such as a stretch on Quarry Road, south of U.S. 40, proved much more difficult. That portion of the trail sits on old farm land that, records indicate, goes back to the 1800s. Further investigation led Righter to learn that Quarry Road might sit on private property. Developers unknowingly built a housing edition, and, ultimately, a roadway system there. Righter said the only way to determine what portion, if any, was still privately owned by the family, was to take the issue to court. But that was timely and costly. So Righter negotiated with the heirs of the property, acquiring some of their back yard in a trade for some city-owned property. The land deals were finally finished following about two years of research and negotiation.

“We got what we needed, and they got what they needed,” he said. “It worked out best for everybody,” Righter said.

In another negotiation, the city acquired land owned by a developer working to construct Lakeview Ridge, a residential and commercial development, bordered by Lake Remembrance on two sides and Duncan Road.

That portion will be added to the yet-to-be constructed portion of the trail that wraps around Lake Remembrance.

Righter said city officials are awaiting approval of their bike trail plan from MARC before work on the trail will begin.

Work includes asphalting for the new portion of the trails, grating, striping to designate bike paths and placement of signs warning motorists about bikers in the area.

He expects the work to be completed in the spring.

Blue Springs City Council member Sissy Reed is confident the trails can only serve to make Blue Springs more livable.

“I think it’s an excellent idea,” she said. “Most of the nicer communities are integrating bike trails into their communities. I’m not a biker, but for those who do, more power to them - it’s a great place to exercise.”