JEFFERSON CITY, MO, APRIL 10, 2024 – Join Missouri State Parks for a ribbon-cutting ceremony beginning at 10 a.m. Friday, April 12, for the opening of the new Mokane/Highway PP Bridge at Katy Trail State Park. The bridge has been closed to vehicular traffic since around 2016. It is located 1.3 miles west of Mokane at mile marker 126.3. Guests are encouraged to bring their bikes and ride from the Mokane Trailhead to the bridge.
From its inception and throughout its history, Katy Trail State Park has provided recreation and ample opportunities to explore natural and cultural resources for up to 500,000 annual visitors. The longest developed rail-trail in the United States hugs steep bluffs, wanders close to the Missouri River, cuts through thick forests and crosses gently rolling prairies and fields.
To keep the trail accessible to everyone, Missouri State Parks has been determined to improve surfacing and bridges, and fix washed-out areas. One of the recent big projects has been the opening of this new bridge, which replaces a three-span bridge that measured 84 feet long, 12 feet wide and was set on timber pile bents. Over time, the timber structure pilings began to severely deteriorate, thus requiring an upgrade.
The replacement bridge is a 93-foot prefabricated truss bridge that is 12-feet wide with a 20-ton load rating. It has a reinforced concrete deck and concrete abutments on drive steel pilings. The contractor was S&A Equipment and Builders from Fulton.
To plan your next adventure or for more information about the trail, visit mostateparks.com/park/katy-trail-state-park. For more information on Missouri state parks and historic sites, or to view the Park and Site Status Map, visit mostateparks.com. Missouri State Parks is a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.