Columbia City Council to vote on $2.3 million trail project

The Columbia City Council will vote Monday on a multimillion-dollar trail project years in the making.

Parks and Recreation staff recommend approval of the $2.3 million trail, dubbed the Shepard to Rollins Trail Project, which would connect the neighborhoods around Shepard Boulevard with the University of Missouri campus. A second trail would extend the existing Hinkson Creek Trail at Stadium Boulevard and Old 63 to the new trail.

The city council approved further design of the two trails in 2015, despite concern from some residents over the environmental impact of the projects.

The city plans on spending more than $1.5 million in funds from a federal grant specific to non-motorized projects. The other $800,000 comes from money raised through the Parks Sales Tax.

Sutu Forte, a member of It’s Our Wild Nature, said the project isn’t necessary. She would rather the city improve pedestrian and bicycle lanes along Stadium Boulevard and Ashland Road, which she considers a connection residents in east Columbia have to campus already.

“It’s going to destroy a natural wild area that has wild residents that we need,” Forte said.

Lawrence Simonson with PedNet Coalition said the trails are a much-needed safety upgrade. The trails allow people to avoid busy roads like Stadium Boulevard and Broadway.

“This would allow a much safer and much more convenient connection from kind of the downtown, campus area to anything on the east side of town,” Simonson said.

Part of the trail would run through an area already cleared of trees by a sewer line. Simonson said the trail would also give people and park crews greater access to honeysuckle, an invasive species.