Missouri River Pedestrian and Bike Bridge opens in Jefferson City

JEFFERSON CITY, MO -  The Missouri River Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge is now open! Walkers and riders can now cross the river with more than just a couple of feet of roadway between them and vehicular traffic. 

The Missouri River Pedestrian/ Bike Bridge has been attached to the side of the northbound Hwy. 54 Missouri River Bridge.  With this new attachment, pedestrians and bicyclists will be able to easily and safely cross the Missouri River Bridge to travel back and forth between north Jefferson City and the heart of the city.   Katy Trail users will be able to navigate through North Jefferson City and Noren Access to then travel up the ramp to the bridge.  And for those who are in Jefferson City and want to head toward the Katy Trail, the entrance to the bridge will be at the intersection of West Main and Clay streets. 

The new bridge attachment is eight feet wide and includes two lookout points with a spectacular view of the Missouri State Capitol and the Jefferson City riverfront; it will be fully ADA accessible. From the entrance near Noren Access up the ramp and across the bridge to West Main St., the bridge is about .7 miles long.   

The total cost of the Missouri River Pedestrian Bridge was $6.7 million, $5.6 million came from federal Bicycle/Pedestrian Enhancements program.  The remaining $1.6 million was funded jointly by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, City of Jefferson and the Missouri State Parks Foundation.  A partnership between these entities and the Missouri Department of Transportation allowed this project to become a reality. 

Videos from last Friday's ribbon cutting can be seen here.  For more information, contact the Jefferson City Convention and Visitors Bureau at (573) 632-2820 or www.VisitJeffersonCity.com