Cross-state Rock Island Trail decision to come in early October? More info about proposed trail . . .

Word on Missouri's proposed new cross-state Trail, the 213 mile Rock Island Trail, may come early in October. 

The 213-mile Rock Island Trail would interlink with the 240-mile Katy Trail

That is the last information from Ameren, which owns the 145-mile section of Rock Island railroad corridor currently under discussion.  Ameren's decision to sell the corridor could set up an easy transition to rail-trail for the new 145-mile section, or could set up a huge amount of hurdles to cross before the trail becomes reality.

While we're waiting for Ameren's decision--if you haven't signed the petition urging Ameren to do all it can to help turn the corridor into a trail, please do so now.

The Kansas City Star's Mike Hendricks recently wrote a detailed article about the proposed trail and what it could mean if Missouri adds a second major cross-state multi-use trail interlinked with our current Katy Trail:

The 240-mile Katy Trail each year attracts 400,000 visitors, who pump nearly $20 million into Missouri’s economy.

Now come plans to add a companion cross-state trail that, when combined with the Katy, would be an even bigger draw, trail advocates say.

Together, the Katy and the proposed Rock Island Trail would create a 400-mile loop unrivaled in the United States. Not only would it create new recreational opportunities, but it also would boost commerce in struggling, rural areas along the proposed hiking and biking path. . . .

The owner of that unused rail corridor, St. Louis-based Ameren Corp., has given no clue when it will select the winning bid among an undisclosed number of proposals. Conceivably, the corridor, which was put up for sale this spring, could be sold to commercial buyers interested mainly in selling the steel rails as scrap.

Which would mean it could be decades before the corridor would become available for trail development again, if ever.

However, if the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy comes out on top, the Washington, D.C.-based advocacy group plans to turn the corridor over to the state’s park system for development of a trail that was first proposed more than 20 years ago. . . .

Warren Wood, Ameren’s vice president for external affairs and communications, has been meeting with trail advocates. In an interview, he said he was impressed by the 11,000 comments in support of a trail that the company has received.

“Ameren recognizes the interest in these bike trails,” he said.

Whether that recognition could weigh in favor of the trail bid, however, is anyone’s guess. Wood declined to say.

But Laughlin suggests that Ameren surely recognizes it would score some points with the public by supporting the trail bid.

“The good will definitely has some monetary value,” he said.

• Read the full article here
• Why has most of the Rock Island line been unused for 30 years?
• Over 11,000 petition signatures in support of the Rock Island Trail presented to Ameren
• Rails-to-Trails Conservancy steps in with bid to purchase Rock Island Corridor; guarantee transition to trail
• Details about the proposed Rock Island Trail; how it would mesh with the Katy Trail to create a 450+ mile interlinked cross-state trail loop system; how it will connect both the Katy and the Rock Island Trail to the Kansas City metro area