Great Rivers Greenway reveals Forest Park Connector design

St. Louis officials presented the final design for the Forest Park Connector of the Brickline Greenway to the public on Thursday night. The new path is intended to provide a direct, non-automotive route between the Cortex MetroLink station and Forest Park.

Emma Klues, vice president of communications and outreach for Great Rivers Greenway, stated that the project is currently past the halfway point in its design phase. She explained that the public review is intended to gather community feedback on the plan developed so far.

The proposed route includes specific infrastructure changes, such as modifications to a large intersection near the MetroLink station and the addition of a rest area in a small park located just before Kingshighway. Great Rivers Greenway is collaborating with Forest Park, the City of St. Louis, BJC, and Washington University Medicine on the project.

Klues noted that the organization aims to create safe and easy connections for residents who wish to explore the region. She described Forest Park as a crown jewel for the area and emphasized the desire to give people options for walking, cycling, using strollers, rolling wheelchairs, or connecting to transit.

The Forest Park leg will link the park to an existing section of the Brickline Greenway at the Cortex station. This segment is one of the final pieces being designed that will eventually create a continuous route from Forest Park to downtown and the Arch Grounds. The full greenway will span 14 different neighborhoods.

Residents and stakeholders offered mixed but generally positive reactions during the review. Vladimir Sukhov, a cyclist, expressed a desire for dedicated bike lanes to improve safety in areas outside the park. Janet Newcomb highlighted the need for more connections in the city, noting that previous greenways have successfully brought different areas together.

Steven Foelsch, a public policy advisor at the Starkloff Disability Institute, described the existing greenway sections as providing freedom and safety. He noted that the new infrastructure would eliminate the need to cross busy streets, reducing the feeling of being in peril while traveling.

The Forest Park Connector is a $6 million project slated for construction in 2028. Currently, one mile and a quarter of the Brickline Greenway is complete, while another 1.3 miles are under construction. A section of Spring between Lindell and Page is set to start soon, with the remaining seven miles in the planning and design phase. The total cost for the full Brickline Greenway project is approximately $245 million, with a goal to connect all pieces by 2030.