An editorial in today's Kansas City Star supports the idea of saving the old Katy railroad bridge at Boonville for use as a bike/ped crossing and part of the Katy Trail:
On the historic bridge deck, the view of the Missouri River near Boonville is spectacular. Hikers and bicyclists would find the Katy Trail even more enjoyable if this bridge could be added to the route.
Unfortunately, a recent state decision that allows the Union Pacific Railroad to tear down the bridge could kill that opportunity.
Now trail users must cross the river on the U.S. 40 bridge near Boonville, where car and truck traffic and exhaust make the experience unpleasant.
Opening the 73-year-old former MK&T Railroad bridge to foot and bicycle traffic would enhance tourism — one of the state's major industries. Like the 243-foot stone tunnel open to trail users at Rocheport, the old bridge would offer a special treat. . . .
The Katy Trail is known nationwide. Keeping the old bridge at Boonville and lengthening the trail west to Kansas City are good ways to improve one of Missouri's best-regarded assets.
Comments:
1 comment on this article
SCronk wrote:
05/10/05 08:24pm •
207.192.217.211
Is there anything preventing another bridge from
being put in its place? I mean, does the railroad own the land or does the
state? If another bridge could take its place, what about the one on
Mitchell at the 102 river that was just recently in the St. Joseph News
Press as being designated for adaptive reuse by the National Register of
Historic Places. It's 219 feet long and was built in 1922, according to the
News Press.
