The Hinkson Creek Trail extension is a 1.1 - mile connecter that covers one of the gaps in Columbia’s 30 miles of trails.
The proposed trail will connect northeast Columbia to Stephens Lake Park. It will go under Interstate 70 making it safer for bikers and pedestrians to travel and provide access to the MKT Trail.
The Columbia Parks and Recreation department held an open meeting on Thursday to gather public input about the trail. Many cyclists are in support of the trail extension.
John Kruse is an avid biker and Columbia resident. He said his main mode of transportation is his bike. To him the trail means he has a safer route to cross Interstate 70 on his way to work.
“The fastest way to go (to work) is up Stadium Blvd. all the way up there and there’s not really bike places really to be safe,” Kruse said.
While safety for bikers may be one benefit of the trail, safety may be lost according to Tammi Elam, a resident along the proposed trail extension.
“A lot of us just want more privacy,” Elam said. “We like it, it’s quiet, it’s a cul-de-sac like that. We want to keep that.”
According to Columbia Parks and Recreation the extension will cost between $800,000 and $950,000. Mike Snyder, park development superintendent, said the extension is important to the trail system as a whole.
“This is a really critical piece of the trail system because it connects people that live north of I – 70 back to Stephens Lake Park and it also is part of the proposed 30 mile loop trail system that goes all around Columbia,” Snyder said.
If current trail plans are approved, the extension should be completed by fall of 2019 Snyder said. An online survey is open for public input through Nov. 8, 2018, at bit.ly/2AsE1eE.