Katy Trail: $29.2 million annual economic impact in 2022
With the recent acceptance of the 144-mile Rock Island Trail corridor by Missouri State Parks and Gov. Parson's recommendation to spend $69 million in federal ARPA funds building the most complex, difficult, and expensive section of that new 144-mile trail, it might be a good time to review why trails are so important to communities - and particularly, what the Katy Trail has done for Missouri.
- Remember that funding for the Rock Island Trail State Park is currently under discussion in the Missouri House & Senate. As if April 2nd it has passed the Missouri House Budget Committee, and is headed to the full Missouri House, then the Senate. You can help by spending 5 minutes contacting your own Missouri State Senator to ask for support for this funding.
What the Katy Trail has done for Missouri: $29.2 million economic impact in 2022
During the pandemic, trails and parks have proven their value over and over again. Use of the Katy Trail rose to about 500,000 annual visitors - the highest visitation rates we have seen.
A 2011 economic impact study by Missouri State Parks shows that the Katy Trail is used by about 400,000 people annually and brings $18.5 million in economic impact to the state.
Total economic impact (2011): $18.5 million
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The total economic impact of $18,491,000 [in 2011] included both direct and indirect spending, which supported 367 jobs with a total payroll of $5,128,000.
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400,000 annual users
Keep in mind that these are 2011 numbers - both the number of visitors and the inflation rate have increased in the past 11 years! Adjusting for an estimated 500,000 annual users currently on the trail, and the inflation rate since 2011, gives this number for the Katy's annual economic impact:
- Katy Trail current annual economic impact: $29,153,418 in 2022 dollars and adjusted for 2022 ridership
Visitors - where do they live, how long do they stay?
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About 33% of Katy Trail visitors surveyed were local [living in a zip code adjoining the trail] and about 67% were nonlocal.
- About 73% were day visitors and 27% spent the night near the Katy Trail.
- About 93% of visitors were from Missouri, 6% from out-of-state.
- 21% of visitors were first-time visitors.
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First-time visitors spent significantly more money than returning visitors and were more satisfied with the Katy Trail than returning visitors.
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Average time spent in and around the Katy Trail was 2 hours and 49 minutes for day visitors
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Average time spent in & around the Katy Trail was 2.51 nights for overnight visitors
Visitor spending ranges from $11 to $297 per person per trip
- Local day visitors (31%) spent on average:
- $17.54 per party per trip.
- $11.33 per person per trip.
- $309 in the past year on bicycles, bicycle supplies, clothing, shoes, and other trail-related expenses.
- On average, trip expenses covered 1.52 people (1.43 adults and 0.09 children)
- Nonlocal day visitors (44%) spent on average:
- $55.53 per party per trip.
- $30.05 per person per trip.
- $355 in the past year on bicycles, bicycle supplies, clothing, shoes, and other trail-related expenses.
- On average, trip expenses covered 1.98 people (1.88 adults and 0.10 children).
- Hotel, motel and B&B visitors (14%) spent on average:
- $700 per party per trip.
- $297.30 per person per trip.
- $280 per party per night.
- $122.60 per person per night.
- $503 in the past year on bicycles, bicycle supplies, clothing, shoes, and other trail-related expenses. Breakdown:
- About $290 on bicycles.
- About $94 on bicycle supplies, significantly more than nonlocal day visitors.
- About $61 on clothing, significantly more than local day visitors.
- About $21 on shoes.
- About $36 on other trail-related expenses
- On average, trip expenses covered 2.54 people (2.37 adults and 0.17 children).
- On average, 2.51 days per trip.
- Campground visitors (10%) spent on average:
- $231 per party per trip.
- $141 per person per trip.
- $84 per party per night.
- $43 per person per night.
- $375 in the past year on bicycles, bicycle supplies, clothing, shoes, and other trail-related expenses.
- On average, trip expenses covered 2.15 people (1.69 adults and 0.46 children).
- On average, 2.51 days per trip.
What do visitors do? 84% bicycle, 20% walk, 19% visit a small town, 13% visit a winery
- 87% of respondents said the Katy Trail was the main reason for their visit to the area.
- 84% of visitors participated in bicycling.
- Average distance biked was 46 miles per trip.
- 20% of visitors participated in walking.
- Significantly more local visitors walked, as compared to nonlocal visitors.
- Average distance walked was 1.23 miles.
- 19% of visitors visited a small town along the trail.
- Significantly more nonlocal visitors visited a small town, as compared to local visitors.
- 13% of visitors visited a local winery.
- 12% of visitors visited a historical attraction related to the Katy Trail.
- 10% of visitors went shopping/antiquing.
- 9% of visitors ran or jogged on the Katy Trail.
- 4% of visitors visited friends and relatives in the area.
- Less than 1% of visitors participated in horseback riding on the Katy Trail.
- 15% of visitors traveled one way on the trail and 84% traveled out and back.
- Bicycling
- The average distance traveled on a bicycle was 46 miles per trip.
- First-time visitors biked an average of 97 miles, as compared to returning visitors who biked an average of 39 miles.
- Nonlocal visitors biked an average of 55 miles, as compared to local visitors who biked an average 27 miles.
- 84% of respondents participated in bicycling.
- 90% of nonlocal visitors participated in bicycling, as compared to 72% of local visitors.
- 80% of day visitors participated in bicycling, as compared to 97% of overnight visitors.
- 86% of nonlocal day visitors participated in bicycling, as compared to 70% of
- local day visitors.
- 97% of overnight hotel, motel, and B&B visitors participated in bicycling, significantly greater than both local and nonlocal day visitors.
- 99% of overnight campground visitors participated in bicycling, significantly greater than both local and nonlocal day visitors.
- 89% of “very familiar” visitors participated in bicycling, as compared to 81% of “not very familiar” visitors.
- 94% of parties of three of more participated in bicycling, as compared to 84% of parties with two people and 74% of parties with one person.
- Walking
- The average distance walked was 1.23 miles.
- The average distance jogged/ran was 0.52 miles.
- The average distance walked with a pet/dog was 0.35 miles.
- 20% of respondents participated in walking.
- 35% of local visitors participated in walking, as compared to 13% of nonlocal visitors who participated in walking.
- 24% of day visitors participated in walking, as compared to 10% of overnight visitors who participated in walking.
- 36% of local day visitors participated in walking, as compared to 15% of nonlocal day visitors, 11% of overnight hotel, motel and B&B visitors and 7% of overnight campground visitors who participated in walking.
- 29% of single-person parties participated in walking, as compared to 21% of parties of two people and 12% of parties with three or more people.
More key facts and figures from the report are summarized in MoBikeFed's article here.
Information is quoted, summarized, and re-organized from the Katy Trail Economic Impact Report, Visitors and MGM2 Economic Impact Analysis, July 2012, commissioned by the Missouri State Parks. Please read the entire report for methodology, details, and much more information about the Katy Trail's economic impact.
Looking to go beyond the Katy and Rock Island? Here are some of the best bicycle routes, links, and side trips from the Katy & Rock Island Trails created and maintained by MoBikeFed:
- Butterfield Stage Experience - mostly gravel bicycle touring route
- Bike MOPAC - visit Katy's little sister, following the Missouri Pacific railroad route south of the Missouri River. Not a trail but a series of low traffic, low stress roads. Most segments have paved and gravel options. Many loop tours and routes are possible with the Katy Trail (north of the river) and Bike MOPAC (south of the river).
- Birthplace of the Santa Fe Trail bicycle route system - this system of bicycle touring routes in central and western Missouri connects to the Katy Trail at Boonville and to the Rock Island Trail in Kansas City
- Rock Island Trail - Bridging the Greenwood Gap Lee's Summit to Pleasant Hill and connecting to Amtrak (paved, gravel options)
- Rock Island Trail - Get there from (almost) anywhere in the KC metro area via a low stress bicycle route
- Rock Island Trail: Quad State Connections to St Joseph, Lincoln, Omaha, and Beyond
- Katy-Rock Island-Flint Hills Connectors
Even MORE Katy Trail connectors, side trips, and loop routes here.
Photo credits:
- Katy Trail map - courtesy Missouri State Parks
- Governor and First Lady Nixon on the Katy Trail - courtesy Governor's office
- Hikers on the Katy Trail - courtesy Ranj Niere
- All other photos - Missouri Bicycle & Pedestrian Federation
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