Kirksville working on trail connection

Kirksville is turning into a hotbed of bicycling activity, with groups working on making city streets friendlier for bicycling and how a proposal for a key trail connection:

A local group is resurrecting an idea to construct a multi-use trail from downtown Kirksville to Thousand Hills State Park.

While details are still up in the air, group members are looking at all possibilities to make their dream a reality.

Royce Kallerud, an associate professor at Truman State University, presented the idea to the Lakes, Parks and Recreation Commission Tuesday at City Hall.

He said this type of trail can do wonders for a rural, college towns like Kirksville.

“Trails that do things like connecting state parks and cities have really powerful impacts in terms of health and wellness, public health and economic development,” Kallerud said. “There tends to be a lot of bicyclists associated with college towns and a lot more just with the City.”

He added the idea to connect the state park to downtown has been in the works for several decades.

Walking and biking are the only means of transportation for a large portion of downtown residents, according to Kallerud, and a connecting trail would open up a whole new area for use.

Read the rest of the story in the Kirksville Daily Express.