Our team worked on two major components of this project — the environmental clearance and the engineering design. After we established the best path for the trail, our team advanced the environmental work for a categorical exclusion, indicating that the project would not have a significant effect on the human environment and would not require an Environmental Assessment or an Environmental Impact Statement.
As the team examined the best environmental and design standards for the trail, key considerations included the possible reuse of seven aging rail bridges along the corridor and the 441-foot-long Vale Tunnel built in 1904, as well as utility coordination and the safety of 12 at-grade crossings. Our team worked closely with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the State Historic Preservation Office in the Missouri Department of Natural Resources to mitigate impacts and attain the appropriate permits in a timely fashion.
The first phase of the trail was designed using the existing railroad grade. The majority of the first phase was constructed using aggregate surfacing, with concrete pavement placed at areas more susceptible to overland drainage flow. We collaborated with Jackson County to evaluate the costs and benefits of various options for the bridges, including rehabilitating existing bridges, replacing existing bridges with new pedestrian bridges, or sliding existing bridges over to serve as pedestrian bridges and constructing new bridges later for rail loads. These options were developed to accommodate the needs and character of each neighborhood along the corridor. Public engagement services were essential and helped the team better understand community expectations, make the trail a popular amenity and preserve the vision for regional transit.