Turkey Creek Trail is a ten-mile regional initiative that runs from 75th St/I-35 in Johnson County into downtown Kansas City, Mo. The City of Mission, KS had the final piece of the trail scheduled for construction in 2015, with support of federal and county grants. However, the city recently returned the federal and county grants to complete the Turkey Creek Trail and removed the project from its budget. When it came time to balance the budget, the trail was not a high enough priority it to make the cut.
Started in 1992, the Turkey Creek Trail is an important regional connection, and a vital piece of the MetroGreen plan for trails all over the metro area. To the west of Mission, Merriam and Overland Park have already built their segments of the trail. To the east, KCK and KCMO are building an on-street connection with new bike lanes and sidewalks on Southwest Boulevard and Merriam Drive. The funds Mission returned would have built a one-mile connection from the Overland Park city limits to the Wyandotte/Johnson County line.
What you can do
Let’s make sure this important regional trail gets completed! Make your voice heard so that Mission officials know there is strong public support for investing in trails, bike lanes, sidewalks, etc.
1. Contact the Mayor and City Council.
2. Participate in the next election
The next Mayor and City Council election are coming up on April 1st. Let the candidates know how you feel about this issue.
3. Testify at a budget hearing
In May the City begins discussion for next year’s budget. Stay tuned for opportunities to attend a public budget hearing and testify in support of trails.
More about the Turkey Creek Trail
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