PLEASANT HILL, Mo. - Gov. Jay Nixon today announced that work is expected to begin this month on the Rock Island Trail - Katy Connector, which will link the Kansas City area to the nationally acclaimed Katy Trail State Park. The Governor made the announcement from what will be the future trailhead in Pleasant Hill, next to the Cass County Fair Grounds.
Gov. Nixon said work on the connector trail, which will be built alongside the Rock Island Railroad corridor, will begin in Pleasant Hill and progress east toward Windsor so that the trail can be used and enjoyed as soon as possible by people from the Kansas City metropolitan area. When complete, this 42-mile connector will allow enthusiasts of the Katy Trail to travel the state from Pleasant Hill to St. Charles.
"With work beginning on the Rock Island Trail - Katy Connector, we are one stop closer to providing Missourians with an opportunity to experience the beauty of our state from one side to the other through an unbroken trail system," Gov. Nixon said.
In addition to improving the trail for recreational benefit, completion of the Rock Island Trail - Katy Connector will also mean economic opportunity for the communities along the trail. More than 350,000 visitors use the Katy Trail every year and come from all over the nation. Tourism dollars will support existing and draw upon new businesses, such as bed and breakfasts, bicycle shops, campgrounds, stores and cafés. More than 300 trail-related businesses have developed and benefited from the 225-mile trail that currently exists.
The Missouri Department of Natural Resources, which oversees the Katy Trail State Park and will lead the connector project, will begin contacting and meeting with landowners to answer any questions they may have regarding the project. Two public forums will also be held in April and May.
Funding for the connector project comes from the Ameren Taum Sauk settlement agreement. As part of the $179 million agreement reached by then-Attorney General Nixon, the state received $18 million and a perpetual license to build a trail alongside the former Rock Island Railroad.
"Having a trail cross the entire state and connect our two major metropolitan centers will enhance recognition for Missouri and be an economic boost," Gov. Nixon said. "No other state has such a cross-state trail, and I am excited to be part of its expansion."
To view this news release on the Governor's website, click here.
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