More trails

BY: Ryan D. Wilson, Staff Writer

Mission drivers will see bikers, pedestrians and animals along the Rock Creek trail.

“The trail is being built to provide our residents with an alternative transportation corridor through our commercial district, connecting commercial, civic and residential areas,” Mission Community Develop-ment Director Martin Rivarola said. “Additionally, the trail will provide additional recreational space in northeast Johnson County, which lags the county overall in green space, trails and other amenities of this type.”

The trail will be part of the Metro Green trail system and part of the Johnson County Streamway Park System, which makes the project eligible for county funding for park construction.

As part of the Metro Green plan, the trail system will connect with the Brush Creek trail system at the Plaza in Kansas City, Mo., Rivarola said.

The project is expected to cost about $2.9 million. Mission will pay for 31 percent; the rest will be funded by the county and federal governments.

Mission started building a two-mile, urban bicycle/pedestrian walkway from Metcalf Avenue to Roe Avenue north of Shawnee Mission Parkway.

Phase 1, $774,304 in improvements, is expected to be complete late next year and runs from Metcalf Avenue and Squibb Road to Lamar Avenue and Martway Drive.

Phase 1 trailblazing, utility coordination, trail design and review by the city and the Kansas Department of Trans-portation are finished.

Designs for Phase 1, Metcalf to Lamar, also are complete. The city could start construction next month or early in 2008 and is negotiating easement rights with property owners

Phases 2 and 3 will be 2008-09 projects. Phase 3 is not expected to be end in 2010 south of the East Gateway redevelopment. Trail amenities include landscaping along the entire trail path with trees, benches, fountains and gazebos.