Rock Island Trail Could Benefit Everyone

Plans for the Rock Island Railroad to become a trail are still in the works for the Rock Island Trail Coalition and the Missouri Bike Federation. Ameren Missouri is the present owner of the rail line that links St. Louis to Kansas City through the Lake cities of Meta, Eldon, Versailles and Cole Camp. Ameren is expected to make a decision on the bids to purchase the line, which was listed for sale recently, sometime in October. Last month residents submitted 11,000 comments in support of Ameren helping the state create the trail that would build a 400 mile loop with the connection of the Katy trail and would become the largest trail system in the United States. Last year the Katy trail produced $20 million in revenue and attracted 400,000 visitors.