Second Kansas City Missouri River bike/ped crossing opens today - Chouteau Trafficway

Today marks the grand opening of another result of 

the advocacy work for bike/ped access across the Missouri River, that advocates and bicycle/pedestrian groups, led by the Missouri Bicycle & Pedestrian Federation, have been working towards for years--new bike/ped facilities on the Chouteau Bridge.

The ribbon cutting is Friday, November 5th, 2010, at 2pm.

After the ribbon cutting, MoBikeFed will lead a bicycle ride around a loop that takes in both the Chouteau and Heart of America Bridges, about 11 miles (map of ceremony location and route for bike ride).
   
The announcement from MoDOT:

MoDOT will cut the ribbon to celebrate opening of new barrier-protected bicycle and pedestrian paths on the Chouteau Bridge beginning 2 p.m. Friday, Nov. 5.

WHAT:               Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for Chouteau Bridge Bicycle and Pedestrian Paths

WHEN:               2 p.m. Friday, November 5, 2010

WHERE:             South side of the bridge, at Stillwell Avenue

WHO:                  MoDOT, state and local elected officials, bicycle and pedestrian advocates

 
What is in this project?

The project includes bicycle lanes on both sides of the bridge, eight-foot wide, traffic separated, shared paths on both sides of the bridge, and sidewalks (one six foot wide and the other 10 foot wide, to meet the criteria for shared-use path) connecting through the interchange with 210, which is just north of the bridge.

More info and drawings, from the MoDOT web site.

 
What does it (and will it) connect to?

For on-road bicyclists, the north side of this project connects to Chouteau Trafficway, which has good shoulders all the way to Parvin, and from there you can make connections to various parts of the northland.

For pedestrians and trail users, the project connects to planned sidewalks and paths along Chouteau Trafficway to the north, and along the Missouri River (connecting to Berkeley Riverfront Park and the Heart of America Bridge) to the south.

This is a vital connection in the Trails KC plan, making connections in the Chouteau Trail, the Southern Missouri Riverfront Trail, and the North Missouri Riverfront Trail.  Click here to see the map of the TrailsKC plan (6 meg PDF file).

Image courtesy MoDOT.