If we summarized our greenway construction over the past three months in just one word, it would have to be… BRIDGES!

Since July, our project managers have overseen the placement of five bridges in three greenways across the region. Two in Cliff Cave Park for the Mississippi Greenway, one for the Fee Fee Greenway in Maryland Heights, and two over Highways 364 and 94 for the Centennial Greenway in St. Charles County.

In late July, contractors placed a 70 foot bridge over the creek that flows from the mouth of Cliff Cave in the Mississippi Greenway. A 210 foot bridge, one of the longest single span pedestrian bridges in the St. Louis region, was placed over Cliff Cave Road. New restrooms were installed in mid-October and work continues on the new parking lot serving the upper section of Cliff Cave County Park. Contractors are putting the finishing touches on the new overlook as construction continues between Cliff Cave Road and Telegraph Road. Trees will be planted between now and the end of the year but the rest of the landscaping will have to wait until warmer weather in the spring.

We know everyone is eager to explore and enjoy the new paved paths and overlook, but the upper section of Cliff Cave County Park is still closed. Our project manager and partners at St. Louis County Parks want to remind everyone this is an active construction site and for everyone’s safety, please only use the greenway in the lower section of the park. We look forward to opening this new greenway in spring 2018!

In September, a 78 foot bridge was set over Fee Fee Creek in Maryland Heights as part of the two mile extension of the Fee Fee Greenway from its current endpoint in McKelvey Woods to Creve Coeur County Park. A new “living wall” is starting to come to life with its first “cover crop” of wild rye grass. The purpose of the living wall system is to help capture the storm water that drains off the paved surface, reducing the impact on nearby creeks and streams. This living wall will also provide habitat for wildlife and insects. When the project is completed in early to mid-2018, the three mile greenway will connect the new Maryland Heights Community Center and Aquaport with Creve Coeur County Park.

Another construction milestone occurred in September with the placement of two bridges over highways 364 & 94 in St. Charles County. Two of the longest bridges in our system at 217 and 280 feet, they required four overnight highway closures. Construction crews are working on the approaches to the bridges and the project is expected to be wrapped up in 2017. Some landscaping work will continue into spring 2018. Stay tuned for updates on when the new Centennial Greenway bridges will be open for you to explore and enjoy!

Construction is about 90 percent complete on the River des Peres Greenway extension from the Shrewsbury- Lansdowne MetroLink to Slay Park. Painting is underway on the Lansdowne and Chippewa Bridges and new trees and wayfinding signs should be installed in the coming weeks. We’ll let you know when the greenway is officially open!

Construction to extend the Gravois Greenway: Grant’s Trail to connect it with the River des Peres Greenway began in late September with the closure of the southern trailhead near Orlando’s Event and Conference Center. Crews are building the foundations for the new restroom and trailhead amenities as well as beginning to layout the new paved greenway segment. As a reminder, you are unable to enter or exit the greenway at Orlando’s while construction of the improved trailhead is underway. The last 750 feet of the existing paved route is also closed. The first phase of construction is expected to last about six months with the second phase breaking ground in mid-2018.