Columbia city council has approved the MKT Nature and Fitness Trail to Parkade Bike Boulevard project. The project is expected to improve pedestrian and biking transportation. 5th ward city councilman Laura Nauser says the trail will help traffic through residential areas.
Nauser says, “Work on encouraging people to use alternative methods of transportation walking, biking, etc. So this is a bike boulevard that will assist in motor shift.”
The designs for the project are pending for approval by the Missouri Department of Transportation. Columbia Works engineer technician, Tyler Wallace says the project is going to consist of pavement treatment and various types of striping to mark bike paths for motorists. There will be different symbols on the road.
Wallace says, “It will be planned primarily in residential neighborhood. Extending from the old southwest neighborhood extending to the Parkade Plaza with a connection to Hickman high school.”
The trail is supposed to increase bicycle traffic in residential neighborhoods. There is no set date for when construction will begin.
04/27/16 CORRECTION: This article previously stated that "The city council received 15 thousand dollars from the International order of Odd Fellows for the improvements." According to Columbia Parks and Recreation, that donation was for other projects along the MKT. The headline for the article also formerly read, " Columbia City Council Approves MKT Trail Expansion Project," which has been changed to more accurately describe the project.