KCK approves funding for Kaw Point Trail Connector, important local, regional, statewide, and Quad State Trail connection

Eric Rogers of BikeWalkKC recently wrote:

Last night the Board of Commissioners of KCK/Wyandotte County voted 6-4 to approve funding for the Kaw Point Connector, a regionally significant project connect the Riverfront Heritage trail with Kaw Point Park and future trails on the Missouri and Kaw River levees.

The Kaw Point Connector trail will make an important local, regional, and multi-state trail connection

A large group of about 50 supporters showed up to demonstrate strong public support for investing in trails and better places to walk and bike. Commissioners opposed to the trail project, realizing they didn’t have enough votes to defeat, called for a quick vote without any further discussion or testimony.

Many congratulations to BikeWalkKC and other advocates who have been working to build support to complete this trail connection in recent weeks, months--and decades. 

The Kaw Point trail connector is a small, but very difficult and very important connection in the city, county, regional, and state, and for the multi-state trail system.

What started out as the Riverfront Heritage Trail--designed to connect downtown Kansas City, Missouri, to downtown Kansas City, Kansas along the Missouri River and across the Kansas River--has now blossomed into full blown trail plans in both Kansas City Kansas (PDF) and KCMO (PDF).

This small connection will not only connect Kansas City, Kansas, Kansas City, Missouri, and the remainder of the KC metro area to historic Kaw Point--which previously has been completely cut off from bike/ped traffic by massive freeway and trafficway projects and bridges--but will also be a key connector in creating safe, continuous bike/ped connectivity across the rivers that cut the KC region in two.

Quad State Trail Plan

This same connection will be key in creating the connections that will eventually link Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, and other states in the region to form the 800+ mile Quad-States Trail System.

The most difficult connections to make in these major trails system are often through the heavily populated urban areas, and the most difficult connections in those areas are most often where numerous major roads, railroads, and rivers intersect.  That describes the Kaw Point Connector to a T.  We much appreciate the work of the Kansas City Kansas Unified Government, KDOT, and other agencies that have worked to make the Kaw Point Connector possible.

Congratulations to Kansas City, Kansas, to the many other project supporters, and to tenacious  and patient local advocates who have worked towards this important day for many years.

Kansas City Riverfront Heritage Trail map courtesy Kansas City River Trails.