Residents of the region are now able to walk, bike or run all the way from the KATY Trail to the August A. Busch Conservation Area thanks to a new four-mile extension of the Busch Greenway. Great Rivers Greenway will be celebrating the recent completion of the paved trail with an official ribbon cutting event on May 22nd on the south campus of ABF International, located at #3 Missouri Research Park Drive, St. Charles, MO 63304, and adjacent to the new paved trail in Missouri Research Park. Area residents are invited to celebrate the new segment and explore the new connections made by the greenway.
The new Busch Greenway extension adds four miles to the existing 3/4-mile connector between the Katy Trail and Duckett Creek wastewater treatment facility in Missouri Research Park. The greenway now extends to the northern end of the business park, where it parallels Highway 94 and connects with the existing Hamburg Trail near the intersection of Highways 94 and D – creating almost five miles of greenway for people to explore and enjoy.
The project also completes a 13.1-mile loop linking the Busch Greenway, the Hamburg Trail, and KATY Trail, between mile markers 56.7 and 52.1, making it a great option for not only cyclists, but for those training for half-marathons as well. A new self-service bike repair station, donated by Momentum Cycles of St. Charles County, has been installed at the Missouri Research Park trailhead, adjacent to the Duckett Creek wastewater facility. The station comes equipped with an air pump for filling tires, along with eight commonly used tools for bicycle maintenance.
“People who are already enjoying Busch Greenway can see first-hand the many benefits of connecting our region’s green spaces and public lands,” says Susan Trautman, Executive Director of Great Rivers Greenway. “The four-mile extension seamlessly links together KATY Trail State Park, the Missouri Research Park and Missouri Department of Conservation lands. We are grateful for our partners who are equally committed to making Missouri’s beautiful green spaces even more accessible to all.”
The event is being held from 3-5 p.m., on May 22, with remarks from dignitaries and partners at 3:30 p.m. Attendees are welcome to take a free bike or golf cart tour of the greenway and enjoy kettle corn served by Ray Ray’s Kettle Corn, a local St. Charles business. The Missouri Department of Conservation, Missouri State Parks and Great Rivers Greenway will also be on hand to distribute maps and other information about area greenways, trails, parks and programs.