Opening celebration held on Thursday, July 27, 2023, at St. Vincent County Park
On July 27, we joined partners at the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT), Metro Transit/Bi-State Development and St. Louis County Parks to celebrate the completion of the St. Vincent Greenway expansion along St. Charles Rock Road. Attendees enjoyed free desserts and participated in transportation safety activities that followed the presentation.
“The greenway transforms the connection between the park and the transit center into a safer and more enjoyable experience,” said Trautman. “This is a small but mighty project made possible by a great collaboration.”
Built in partnership with MoDOT, Bi-State Development / Metro St. Louis and St. Louis County Parks, the new greenway provides an accessible walking and biking path from the Rock Road Metro Station along St. Charles Rock Road to the existing greenway in St. Vincent County Park. It also connects the surrounding neighborhoods in Pagedale.
The project was strategically planned to leverage taxpayers’ investment by working with partners and taking advantage of MoDOT’s larger improvement plan for St. Charles Rock Road.
“When we partner with Great Rivers Greenway, we are able to satisfy more transportation needs,” said Tom Blair, St. Louis district engineer, MoDOT. “This is the kind of project that will serve more people, saved everyone money and cut down on construction impacts for the community by combining efforts.”
This project has not only expanded the greenway, but also enhances safety for everyone who travels along this part of St. Charles Rock Road to connect to St. Vincent County Park, the Rock Road Transit Center, schools, businesses, and surrounding neighborhoods. Great Rivers Greenway and project partners have built a new trail and added new green paint, pavement markings and signage. Together these features create high visibility that emphasizes this space is used by people walking, riding bikes and driving. Two new pedestrian crossings have been added at 70th Street and the entrance road to St. Vincent County Park to make it safer for people to cross St. Charles Rock Road. This will connect with a future St. Vincent Greenway segment through Pagedale to Wellston that is slated to begin construction in 2024.
“There is now just one more piece to connect the St. Vincent Greenway so people can use all seven miles of greenway to connect between Forest Park and University of Missouri St. Louis,” said Susan Trautman, CEO of Great Rivers Greenway. “With six train stations, many bus stops and dozens of destinations along the way, the greenway gives people more choices.”
Another new section of the St. Vincent Greenway was also recently completed in Wellston. The community celebration will take place at 10 a.m. on Saturday, August 5, 2023, at Trojan Park.