The KC Star has an update on efforts to extend Katy Trail State Park to Kansas City. The State of Missouri is extending the trail using $18 million from a legal settlement with Ameran, the company that owns the abandoned Rock Island line between the town of Windsor and Pleasant Hill – just beyond the southeast suburbs. Land surveying is almost finished, and trail design is expected to start later this year. At least some of the trail could be open by 2011.
Meanwhile, Kansas City and the Mid-America Regional Council have already started looking into a further extension into the city itself. Hopefully they will be able to use another segment of the Rock Island that passes through Lee’s Summit and Raytown and ends near the Truman Sports Complex. Local governments hope to purchase or lease the old rail line in order to preserve it for future public transit, in addition to the trail. From sports complex, a future trail along the Blue River would provide connection the Katy Trail from Downtown via a Missouri Riverfront trail or from the Plaza via the Brush Creek Trail.
KC Star: Exending the Katy Trail into area is chugging along.
KC Area Rock Island Corridor Coalition.
Green = existing trail
Blue = Windsor-Pleasant Hill extension
Red = Possible future extension to Truman Sports Complex
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