The Raytown Main Street Association, with members on the Rock Island Corridor Coalition, is identifying the potential held within the Rock Island Railroad corridor through Raytown, hoping for the day it will connect with the statewide KATY Trail system. This video is a "before and after" visualization of Rock Island trail development within Raytown's city limits progressing from southeast to northwest. The tour will take you from Wildwood Lakes on the south, to 59th Street on the north spanning approximately one and a half miles of trail within Raytown's boundaries.
Completing the approximate 23 mile Rock Island portion of the system from Pleasant Hill to Kansas City at the Truman Sports complex will complete the connection of St. Louis, on the eastern border of Missouri, with Kansas City on the west; thrilling trail enthusiasts with over 300 miles of contiguous non-motorized recreational trail.
The KATY Trail has had a significant economic impact for the state of Missouri and local businesses, producing annual revenue in excess of 300% more than the trail's original construction cost ($18mil/annually vs. $6mil initial construction according to a 2012 economic impact study by Missouri State Parks).
The 46 mile connector section of trail between the KATY at Windsor, Missouri and the City of Pleasant Hill, Missouri is currently under the control and development by the State of Missouri.
The development of the Rock Island corridor connection through the communities of Pleasant Hill, Greenwood, Lee's Summit, Raytown and Kansas City is set to provide the same economic benefit as well as establish a convenient, healthy, inter-city transportation alternative for thousands of users annually.