KIRKWOOD, Mo. — Bikers and pedestrians who frequent Grant's Trail will be able to take a direct path to downtown Kirkwood in the near future.
"All of these have opportunities and constraints. They're all going to have their own challenges," City of Kirkwood Planning and Development Services Director Jonathan Raiche said.
He listened to the public and worked with engineers to narrow the options down to four pathways.
"The first one is right, straight connection as straight as you can get along the railroad corridor," Raiche said.
The first and second options are the most direct, and would include bridges or tunnel work over intersections.
"Option 2 crosses at the existing at-grade crossing of Holmes and then goes over on Elliot and then joins up with the railroad spur, follows that same path, then hits Leffingwell, crosses the tracks at Leffingwell and goes along the north side of the tracks to the farmers market," Raiche said.
They plan to use as much of the abandoned railroad track as possible. Option three and four cut into areas along property lines.
"The third option still uses the southern-most portion of the railroad abandoned spur then cuts across westward on Clinton and then kind of meanders through a couple blocks westward that direction,' Raiche said.
The fourth option doesn't use the railroad tracks at all, starting along Leffingwell Avenue and snaking up through Clinton Place, Fillmore Park, and Taylor Avenue.
"We want to make sure with all of these that in case we encounter funding or property owner or railroad constraints or issues we'll still have something that will still be a successful trail," Raiche said.
Raiche has an online survey and interactive map set up on the City's website through November 30th.
After the final path is chosen, they'll apply for grants to fund the project.
It's still in the early stages, and still a few years away from construction.