Kansas City Star supports levee trails in KC area

For decades, miles of concrete and earthen levees have protected Kansas City metropolitan area residents from devastating floods.

But the levees could provide much more. During the last year, a group of trails advocates has quietly advanced the excellent notion that the levees — often on publicly owned land — ought to be used for recreational purposes, too.

But cooperation is lagging in some areas.

In Kansas City, Kan., Unified Government Mayor Carol Marinovich and others are trying to convince the Kaw Valley Drainage District to allow a trail to be built on levee property.