Dear Neighbor of Bella Fontaine County Park and the Maline Greenway,
On behalf of Great Rivers Greenway, and our partners at St. Louis County Parks, I want to share the latest details about the construction of the Maline Greenway trail in Bella Fontaine County Park and how this project will impact your neighborhood.
This first phase of trail construction of the Maline Greenway within Bella Fontaine County Park will include a new trail underpass along Maline Creek beneath Lewis and Clark Blvd. to connect both sides of the park for people walking, jogging, pushing a stroller, riding a bike, or using a wheelchair. The project also features the renovation of 1.5 miles of existing trails within the park to improve accessibility and replacement of existing trail bridges in the park to bring them up to current standards.
The trail will be relocated so that the shifting creek does not threaten the new trail bridges. This project will also include streambank restoration to prevent erosion and stormwater management with native landscaping. Some invasive plants in the park will be removed and replaced with 300 trees and shrubs and a rain garden. See the map below for more details. Construction will begin in March 2018 and is anticipated to be complete in spring 2019.
This phase of the Maline Greenway is being built on public park property. Greenway construction will not take place on your private property. However, you may be impacted by project construction within the park. Pedestrian access to some areas of the park will be limited while trail bridges are removed and replaced. During this time, signs in the park will notify you of the bridge closure ahead. Additionally, construction vehicles will drive down public roadways to access the park. We apologize for any inconvenience that this construction causes. We will work hard to make this experience as timely and pleasant as possible for residents as well as park visitors.
We hope that this new greenway is an asset to you and your neighbors. If you have any questions about the project, please visit our website at www.GreatRiversGreenway.org, call me at
314-932-4902 or email powens@grgstl.org.
Sincerely,
Patrick Owens
Project Manager
More information about the Maline Greenway and Great Rivers Greenway:
Goals of this project include:
- Expanding transportation options for people of all ages and abilities
- Creating opportunities to exercise, socialize, and learn about history, culture, and nature
Planning for the Maline Greenway took place in 2011-12. Community members provided feedback for the first phase of construction of the Maline Greenway in Bella Fontaine County Park at open houses in March 2014 and January 2018.
When complete, the Maline Greenway will create a seven mile east-west link for walking, running, bicycling, and getting fresh air between the Mississippi Greenway (also known as the Riverfront Trail) and the northern end of the St. Vincent Greenway near the North Hanley MetroLink station.
Great Rivers Greenway is the public agency connecting the St. Louis region with greenways. In 2000, a vote of the people created a sales tax to leave a legacy for future generations. Those funds allow us to collaborate with partners and communities to build, care for and bring to life your network of greenways, creating healthy habitats and watersheds along the way.