Reply to Katy Trail construction - St. Charles County

Katy Trail users should be aware that MoDOT just awarded contracts for replacement of the bridge over Little Femme Osage Creek near Defiance and also for unspecified construction east of Highway 94 near the Missouri River. These projects begin in March and are expected to last through December. The trail will likely be closed at the creek. Not sure about the other project.

I've not yet been on the trail but plan to this spring. Will the traffic be detoured around the bridge. I hope so. Don

There are four Katy Trail projects being funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). These projects are being administered by MoDOT, who has awarded the contracts for the four projects. The four projects include: culvert replacement over Taylor Branch in Cooper Co. near Pilot Grove, bridge replacement over Moniteau Creek in Rocheport in Boone and Howard counties, bridge replacement over Little Femme Osage Creek near Weldon Spring in St. Charles Co., and completion of the Machens section of Katy Trail in St. Charles Co.

Each of the projects are given a specific number of calendar days in which the work has to be completed, ranging from 30 days to 174 days, with all projects to be completed by Dec. 1, 2010. Because we haven't had pre-construction meetings with the contractors yet, we don't have any information regarding when each project will start and, as with any construction projects, there may be weather delays. There is a fairly strong likelihood that these sections of the trail will be closed during the construction, but we are in the process of determining whether or not detours are feasible and, if so, how to implement them.

Unfortunately, there is never a good time to schedule repairs on the Katy but we will be coordinating with the contractors so that these projects inconvenience Katy users and trail communities as little as possible. As we receive more information as to starting dates, etc., we'll be posting that information on our Web site: www.mostateparks.com and www.katytrailstatepark.com as well as providing periodic updates on bikekatytrail.com.

Forgot to add my name to the above comment.

My wife and I are traveling from Colorado to ride the Katy Trail end to end in June. I sure hope they allow a way for the bikers to pass through these construction zones....

I'm sure they'll have marked detours. June is the MO State Parks/DNR ride also, so there will have to be well marked detours. Are you and your wife doing the DNR ride (third week in June) or just the two of you?

There goes the every weekday night ride for 2010. I'd feel a lot better if someone with better credentials thatn MODOT were in charge.
If they close the trail, the only detour (short of building a temporary bridge is to re-route to 94 and that isn't realistic. Anyway you go, you have to cross the creek.

This just in:
Katy Trail project contract awarded
http://interact.stltoday.com/blogzone/chas-beat/politics/2010/03/katy-trail-project-contract-awarded/
The project will complete the 11-mile segment connecting St. Charles and the Machens area to the northeast . . . The work is expected to start this summer and be done by December.

Thank you, Dawn. I live near the bridge at Weldon Springs. Although, I don't see how they
could detour around the bridge, it's been down to one-way for almost a year and I'm glad
to hear they have repairs planned. I hope someone posts the closure here before me :-)

I have not been over the bridge yet, but we will be in May. Is it possible they can repair one half at a time to stay open, or do they need to shut it all down until?

OK, there is an old trestle that crosses Little Femme Osage Creek just upstream from the bridge that is being replaced. If you take the Hamburg Trail from where it joins the Katy and head toward Hwy. 94, it's just before you get to Hwy. 94. It's narrow, but it looks like it's in good shape (it's blocked off right now). Why can't they use that for a detour?

I was on the trail last weekend and passed through this area. I started at Weldon Springs and headed for Augusta not knowing about the bridge replacement. There is a very nice detour around the construction area. I have no complaints. Thank you for maintaining the trail. I love Katy Trail State Park!

That new bridge is now open. I have crossed it many times.