Jan. 16—Work to connect two popular rail-to-trails in Jasper County could begin this spring.
The Joplin Trails Coalition plans a meeting to update the community on the project from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 28, in the Joplin Public Library’s west Community Room.
“We’re going to focus on plans to connect the Frisco and Ruby Jack through the Cardinal Valley Habitat,” said Bob Herbst, project manager for the Joplin Trails Coalition. “We are pretty focused on building that connector.”
Herbst estimated total distance between the two existing trails at about 3.5 miles and noted that it will be multiyear project done in phases.
The coalition owns and manages the 16-mile Ruby Jack Trail, from Carthage to the Kansas line, and works with the cities of Joplin and Webb City on the 3.5-mile Frisco Greenway, which stretches from near downtown Joplin to near downtown Webb City. All but 2 miles of the Ruby Jack are improved.
This spring, work will focus on 0.85-mile stretch of the connector to be build on the west side of County Road 230.
“Webb City owns 90% of the land, and we’re partnering with them,” Herbst said. “We’ll just follow the old rail line that miners used to go to work.”
He said this is the most expensive project the nonprofit group has undertaken, and this project will included building a base before putting down finer surface rock.
When connect, Herbst said trail runners, cyclists and others who use it will be able to get to Joplin, Carthage, Webb City, Carl Junction and Oronogo.
“We’ll have five of our population centers connected by a rail-trail,” Herbst said. “They (the board) see this as something that will be a draw to people who don’t live in the area.”
For more information about the JTC, work days and fundraisers, or to join, go to www.joplintrailscoalition.org/contribute.