KC Riverfront Heritage Trail

kc_devotee · Post by **kc_devotee** » Fri Aug 01, 2003 3:04 pm

Not sure if everyone has seen this website...gives info on the planned riverfront heritage trail, including how the segments will link together. Makes me want to buy a bike!

http://www.kcriverfronttrail.org/index.php

KCgridlock · Post by **KCgridlock** » Sun Aug 03, 2003 11:40 pm

Thanks for the link! This will be a cool trail when it's complete.

KCN · Post by **KCN** » Sun Aug 03, 2003 11:57 pm

It'd be awesome if they could some how hook it up with the KATY trail that goes from St. Charles to Clinton.

Post by **dangerboy** » Mon Aug 04, 2003 7:09 am

MARC and the MO Dept. of Natural Resources are working on identifying a route to extend the Katy trial into the metro area, but so far the process has been really slow. It has been a couple of years since they last published any updates.

http://www.marc.org/Community/katytrailconnection.htm

scooterj · Post by **scooterj** » Sat Oct 25, 2003 11:16 am

I noticed this morning that the heavy machines are back working in the section between the pedestrian bridge and Berkeley Riverfront Park. They are grading, clearing brush, and it appears they may also be starting to lay the gravel bed into the trail itself.

This is good to see. It's the first sign of progress I've seen on that portion in a couple of months, and also the first time I caught anyone in the act of actually working there.

With the routing through the River Market nearly complete and evidence of the trail leading right up to a fence at the drop into the West Bottoms, this thing is getting closer and closer to reality. KCK has started on their portion as well. This is going to be a great addition to the area.

(On top of that the old railroad tracks have been completely removed from 2nd Street and the tearing out of the old railroad yard is coming along well. Won't be long I think before 2nd Street is paved back into a usable roadway and new development can go in right up to the edge of the bluff.)

trailerkid · Post by **trailerkid** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 2:35 am

Forget rail, buses or freeways...this is where it's at!

The KC Riverfront Heritage Trail is the future.

It is time to think truly big. Our boundaries and dreams about downtown are too small. "Downtown" is KCMO to KCK and every point in between. The boundaries should only be limited by your feet or the wheels on a bicycle or wheel chair.

KC was known as a town of boulevards and parkways, now it should also be know for innovative pedestrian trails and walks. Take to the streets KC!!!

The $22 million project is a first of its kind in the Kansas City areas and when completed, will cover over 18 linear miles. The project will link the downtown business districts of both Cities, the River Market and Richard L. Berkley Riverfront Park, the Central Industrial District, the Westside, Quality Hill and the Strawberry Hill neighborhoods.

KCDevin · Post by **KCDevin** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 7:38 am

the plan needs more trees

KCK · Post by **KCK** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 8:54 am

trailerkid wrote:Forget rail, buses or freeways...this is where it's at!

The KC Riverfront Heritage Trail is the future.

It is time to think truly big. Our boundaries and dreams about downtown are too small. "Downtown" is KCMO to KCK and every point in between. The boundaries should only be limited by your feet or the wheels on a bicycle or wheel chair.

KC was known as a town of boulevards and parkways, now it should also be know for innovative pedestrian trails and walks. Take to the streets KC!!!

I agree. Lets screw this Kansas vs. Missouri bullshit and make this one huge city!!!!!!!!

We need a grand urban bridge to link KCMO and KCK, and we need to develop the riverfront on both cities. Finally a large monument to show our connection to one another. By the way, not the big ugly tornado thing.

tat2kc · Post by **tat2kc** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 9:07 am

Not just the Riverfront trail, but the entire metrogreen project is a fantastic cross-state, cross-city effort. It is a relatively inexpensive method of linking the whole area, regardless of what state, county, city you live in. I've watched with excitement the reconstruction of the lower bridge over the river, linking kck near the EPA headquarters to the west bottoms. It is really has the potential to bring areas together.

The popularty of the trolley trail and other portions of the metrogreen project shows that this is definately something the entire area can get behind and support. Its the kind of bistate cooperation (in baby steps) that will move us forward.

kcmajik · Post by **kcmajik** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 9:10 am

yeah! move over minneapolis...here comes the REAL twin cities.

Post by **dangerboy** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 11:31 am

FYI, a portion of the trail in KCK is being blocked by the Kaw Valley Drainage District, which doesn't want to provide access to the levee. The district is made up of propert owners in the area. So far the Unified Government has been able to get them to budge. It is likely that there will be a gap in the trail when it opens this summer.

http://www.kansascitykansan.com/article ... /news1.txt

The Kaw Valley Drainage District is blocking attempts by the Unified Government to build sections of a $16 million hiking and biking trail on special maintenance roads on the Kansas River levee system.

Building such a trail along the consistently used road would create a safety hazard and disrupt maintenance of the levees, said Larry Brennan, executive director of the district.

"Our uses are not compatible," said Brennan. "We think we would be badly hurt if (the roads) were used for hike and bike trails."

rxlexi · Post by **rxlexi** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 1:04 pm

wow this is really cool...i can't wait to get me and my bike down on there on the riverfront. When is this supposed to open, or at least the first large chunk of it? Maybe I missed something but I didn't see anything about opening dates on the web site...

Post by **dangerboy** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 1:27 pm

rxlexi wrote:wow this is really cool...i can't wait to get me and my bike down on there on the riverfront. When is this supposed to open, or at least the first large chunk of it? Maybe I missed something but I didn't see anything about opening dates on the web site...

Most of the trail is supposed to be open by July 4, 2004 for the Lewis and Clark celebrations.

trailerkid · Post by **trailerkid** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 2:12 pm

A drainage district is helping block one of the most ambitious bi-city projects? I don't even know what a drainage district is.

trailerkid · Post by **trailerkid** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 7:56 pm

More info on the disgruntled drainage district via the Star. Here's their only reason..."Hikers and bikers have no place on the levee roads it uses to maintain flood control equipment along the Kansas River." Whatever...

Post by **dangerboy** » Thu Feb 12, 2004 8:49 am

trailerkid wrote:A drainage district is helping block one of the most ambitious bi-city projects? I don't even know what a drainage district is.

They maintain the levees that protect cities from flooding on the Missouri and Kaw Rivers, and are made up of property owners near the levees. The one in question controls the levees on the south bank of the Kaw.

GRID · Post by **GRID** » Thu Feb 12, 2004 11:15 pm

I love this idea and can't wait to be able to use it. But it's hard enough to get people to use Berkley's trail. How are we going to get people to go ride a bike or jog under the Lewis & Clark Viaduct? It will be interesting.

scooterj · Post by **scooterj** » Mon Apr 19, 2004 8:44 am

An update, explaining why the final couple hundred feet separating Berkely Park from the River Market are still missing, and why there ahas been a crane sitting on a barge the last few weeks. Also updates on the fundraising left to be done and the problems that lie ahead for getting this thing open by July 4...

In this case, the complication started with a bad assumption: that the trail would cross the train tracks coming off the ASB Bridge at grade level. But the railroad objected, so the route was switched to beneath the bridge at added cost. Then the river bank collapsed, and it's going to cost millions to straighten this out.

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascit ... 463453.htm

scooterj · Post by **scooterj** » Fri May 21, 2004 7:02 pm

There's a notice in my lobby announcing that the groundbreaking ceremony for River Bluff Park, which will be at the overlook point at the end of 4th Street where ot meets Beardsley, is next Thursday at 10am. It's at the point where the trail will eventually drop into the West Bottoms. I went to the KCMO web site looking for info about what all the park will consist of. While I haven't found that, I found something amusing/interesting. The park is being constrcucted as an "emergency" with the goal of completing it before the Lewis & Clark celebration. The reasoning for it being emergency -- that having a park at that spot will be safter for the crowds expected than having the current fence, debris, and cliff.

http://www.kcmo.org/pubworks/pwcsbidtab ... 040042.pdf

Post by **dangerboy** » Sat May 22, 2004 10:12 am

The trail and park areas are not going to be anywhere near finished in time for Lewis and Clark. the trail surface itself is in place, but little else. There is still a lot of general debris all around, as well as several old building foundations, part so retaining walls, etc. The area is still going to be a construction scene during the L&C festivities.