FAQ

Almost all of the greenways (99%) are paved with a stable surface such as asphalt or concrete that is suitable for using a wheelchair, riding a bicycle or pushing a stroller in addition to walking or running. A few are made with crushed limestone and may be more difficult to use with a wheeled device. The slope of the greenways are designed to be within accessibility standards for steepness and include areas for resting when you are going uphill. Parking lots generally have accessible parking spaces and restrooms are designed that way as well. Please check our map for specifics (such as number of accessible parking spaces at a trailhead). If you have any questions about other kinds of accessibility, please contact us anytime!

Living near a greenway gives you an accessible, safe, free place to exercise, commute and enjoy your friends, family and community, plus any conservation projects that might be helping to manage stormwater, reduce flooding, support pollinators and clean the air and water around you. Great Rivers Greenway worked with The Trust for Public Land to study the economic benefits of greenways and found a 5% premium to the market value of homes neighboring greenways. We work to ensure this is a benefit to all and are mindful of unintended negative consequences, such as displacement or gentrification.

The greenways provide many regional benefits to all taxpayers. The projects reinvest local taxes back into the regional economy, creating jobs and often supporting small and disadvantaged businesses. They are a draw (for health, transportation and fun) for people to stay in, move to or visit our region. The greenways have many benefits to our environment as well, helping to clean our air and water supplies, support pollinators and manage storm and flood waters. The process of collaborating to build a greenway is often when adjacent neighborhoods, towns or communities meet and find other ways to work together, beyond the greenway itself.

If there is an emergency, call 911. Greenway visitors may report a problem through the Contact Us page or by calling our office at (314) 436-7009. We will notify the operations and maintenance partner for that part of the greenway, possibly working with them to address any challenges and post any greenway closures or alerts on the page for that greenway segment.

Like other parks and public spaces, greenways are monitored by the law enforcement officials, park rangers, campus police or police officers that have jurisdiction in the area. We do not operate the greenways directly, but do sometimes supplement our partners with Greenway Guides programs or security patrols to provide additional monitoring support on greenways, as needed. Greenway visitors are wonderful monitors, thanks to the sheer volume of “eyes and ears” on the trails. If you see a crime in progress, please call 911.

The goal is to connect the greenways for people to enjoy, and that can happen in a variety of ways! Great Rivers Greenway works with partners, land owners and a real estate consultant to negotiate temporary construction and permanent easements on public and private property. The property owner may donate the temporary or permanent easement, or Great Rivers Greenway may financially compensate the property owner for the easement in an amount not to exceed the appraised value. We do not have the power of eminent domain, we work with the willing. We often get permission or easements from partners, such as Missouri Department of Transportation or St. Louis County Parks.

Each year, the Board of Directors and staff go through a planning and budget process to understand all opportunities and allocate funding for the next calendar year. Factors to consider include which projects are already in process, other projects happening in the region, balancing the funding across the three counties and measuring the amount of effort required and impact possible. This might include how many people the greenway will serve, the environmental impact it can have, the commuting options it creates and many more factors.

As a regional organization, Great Rivers Greenway works closely with more than 250 partner organizations throughout the area. Our staff often participate on planning committees for other local and regional efforts, and greenways are sometimes planned and designed in coordination with other development projects. This includes our “sister” district, Metropolitan East Parks and Recreation District, which gives grants to entities in St. Clair and Madison Counties to organizations like Madison County Transit or municipalities to build trails on the Illinois side of the Mississippi River. It also includes utilities, other government agencies, nonprofit organizations, businesses, neighborhood associations, churches, schools, transit, railroads, employers and individuals.

Building a greenway takes several years because of the complexity of factors and collaboration that is involved. Before construction begins, years of preparation and planning must be done. We engage people who live, work, learn and play in the greenway area to gather input on the greenway route, amenities, design and programming opportunities. We work with consultants to design and engineer the greenway plans to make a stable, sustainable and accessible trail, with conservation projects, amenities and connections to destinations along the way. We spend time securing temporary construction and/or permanent easements and also acquiring permits. Before construction begins, we survey the area beneath the greenway to search for any underground water sources or rock beds, we test the construction materials, and we relocate utilities in the path of the greenway if necessary. We might need to accommodate endangered species or nearby construction schedules. To secure funding for construction, we often apply for grants and/or solicit private funding. We must also establish an operations and maintenance agreement with one or more partners to take care of the greenway once it’s built. All of these factors impact time, but are critical to the long-term success of a greenway.

Greenway development may be delayed by many different factors, including permit approval and/or securing funding. Great Rivers Greenway does not have the power of eminent domain, and negotiating temporary and permanent easements can take time. Construction schedules may be delayed by inclement weather, flooding or unique circumstances such as endangered species hibernation patterns. No matter what, Great Rivers Greenway takes steps to ensure that they are being the best possible stewards of the taxpayers’ investment – that can mean shifting timelines to take advantage of opportunities, collaborations, or avoiding potential pitfalls that could cost the taxpayers more in the long run.

While a few greenway segments are old railroad corridors, most railroads in St. Louis are still active and being used for rail commerce or travel.

Approximately $20 million is collected annually in sales tax funds for the development of greenways. Great Rivers Greenway leverages these sales tax funds with private and grant funding to develop the greenways. Greenways cost an average of $5 million per mile for construction (once community engagement, planning, design and engineering is complete).

We were created by a vote of the people in 2000 that created a sales tax where 1/20^th of one cent goes to the parks departments in St. Louis City, St. Louis County and St. Charles County and another 1/20^th of a cent comes to us to connect the region with greenway trails.

In 2013, voters (in St. Louis City and St. Louis County this time) created another sales tax, where 3/16ths of one cent gets split – 40% goes to the city and county’s parks departments, 30% comes to us for greenways in those two counties and 30% comes to us to steward for the transformation and long-term care of the CityArchRiver project to enhance the Gateway Arch National Park, St. Louis Riverfront and Kiener Plaza.

We supplement the local tax dollars with federal or state funding as often as possible.

The 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, the Great Rivers Greenway Foundation, is dedicated to raising private funds, leveraging the public investment to make an even larger impact on that same mission and vision to bring the network of greenways to life.

The original legislation was written such that some counties could vote themselves into the district later, if desired. Right now, Great Rivers Greenway only spends money in the three counties it collects tax revenue in, but other counties could become part of the effort in the future if they chose to put it on the ballot and it passed. And, we are not the only ones to build greenways! Many municipalities, private developments, or other institutions within and outside of our area use their own funds, apply for their own grants, and create their own projects to further connectivity. This is fantastic! Should any other entities ever wish to use any of the lessons we’ve learned, all of our Design Guidelines are freely available right here.