RESOLUTION NO. 061242

Expressing the Councils support for extension of the Katy Trail to Kansas City, and directing the City Clerk to distribute copies of this resolution.

WHEREAS, the Katy Trail, the longest rail-trail in the United States, is among the most popular Missouri state parks, but still is not connected to the major population centers in Missouri; and

WHEREAS, completing the Katy Trail to create a seamless trail connection from St. Louis to Kansas City will allow bicyclists and pedestrians to safely connect with all cities and towns along the trail; and

WHEREAS, a completed Katy Trail would serve as the backbone of the Quad-State Trail System designed to connect communities within Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, and Nebraska; and

WHEREAS, a completed Katy Trail can provide tremendous tourism, economic development, and public health benefits; and

WHEREAS, although connections for trail users from the Katy Trail to St. Charles, other points within the St. Louis metropolitan area, Hermann, Washington, Columbia, and Springfield, all exist or are planned, there are no connections for trail users to Jefferson City, Kansas City, communities throughout the St. Louis metropolitan area, and other communities desirous of the benefits of a completed Katy Trail; NOW, THEREFORE,

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF KANSAS CITY:

Section 1. That the Council urges all involved parties to complete the Katy Trail network from state line to state line and to make appropriate trail connections from the Katy Trail to communities around the state, including particularly construction of the Katy Trail in the Kansas City area.

Section 2. That the City Clerk shall provide copies of this resolution to Governor Matt Blunt, Attorney General Jay Nixon, Doyle Childers, Director of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Pete Rahn, Director of the Missouri Department of Transportation, and Brent D. Hugh, Executive Director of the Missouri Bicycle Federation.

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