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Reply to safety issues on trail


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Reply to safety issues on trail
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Cooter50 from Hermann on 4/10/2017 3:21:25 PM:
I have been walking a two mile one way trip McKittrick into Warren County for health reasons where I thought I could get a decent length walk safely and have to say I was most likely wrong.

Perhaps I am just too intuitive as to the world about me due to harvesting trees, clearing land and building roads but these items must be noted. In a SINGLE two mile stretch with minimal 'Bluffs' but a few roadbed hillside cuts there were over thirty tree roll outs that had been cut away to clear the trail. There are at LEAST a few DOZEN more awaiting the weather to teeter them to oblivion. Behind a few of these snags are boulders the size of large mattress sets also teetering held in place ONL by the tree struggling to remain erect.

There is evidence of large tree catastrophic falls, rock falls and significant dead wood on private lands adjacent that are hanging by literal threads that on a bicycle you will not outrun and on foot doubtful could react fast enough.

Certainly the Trail needs the shade of close to ROW trees but as they grow they also lean into the ROW, they are situated in either poor rock outcroppings, gravel base road bed or shallow soils in original ROW cuts. This only exponentially adds to numbers of possibilities over time of soft shallow rooted water oak, cottonwood, alder elm and willow.

Have we created a health risk hazard in the trail system? The old Train lines that developed these ROW maintained tree removal well outside the roadbed ditches, are we missing that significance as to keeping debris off the ROW and away from patrons on the trail??

 
Anonymous on 4/11/2017 5:40:16 AM:
Cooter, if there is an environmental safety issue you can go to the website, DNR.mo.gov for information or call 800-361-4827 to report the concern. It will be a recorded issue if something does occur.

 
Cooter50 from Hermann on 4/13/2017 1:56:25 PM:
Already been contacted, along with my local senator. You that use the trail, if you are not looking may wish to look around you as you walk as situational awareness is the only safety you have while using the trail.

 
cathy from Jefferson City on 4/14/2017 10:35:34 AM:
Cooter, I don't want to be critical of your comments, but I have to admit I am confused by them. Do you have examples of where the problem you are concerned about has resulted in someone being hurt on the Katy Trail?

I have heard there is a bill in the legislature that would prevent DNR from adding to our State Park system until all deferred maintenance has occurred. I heard the legislator that proposed that bill did so because some of his constituents complained about a swimming pool in a state park being in bad shape. I am worried that your comments will only add fuel to that fire.

I think DNR does a good job of maintaining the Katy Trail. People from all over the country come here to ride it and comment about how well it is maintained, and how blessed we are to have this park and a state park system that does so well in keeping it safe.

Your comments make it sound like you want all of the issues you described addressed. So again my question is, have these problems resulted in people being hurt on the Katy Trail? And another question I have for you or anyone that can answer it, how do other states address these issues along rail to trail parks?

I enjoy the Katy Trail, and the natural environment adds to it. I watch and listen. For example every time I ride I see a snake. But I am not going to ask DNR to kill every snake along the trail. Seeing snakes is part of riding the Katy Trail. If I can't deal with seeing snakes, I should not be riding the Katy Trail.


 
Anonymous on 4/14/2017 12:43:53 PM:
I agree with Cathy 100% I believe you need to go find Luke or Duke an take a ride in the General Lee. The KT seems pretty good to me.

 
Will on 4/14/2017 3:13:47 PM:
The trail is just a path through a natural area...and nature isn't always 100% safe. It's just a risk you take doing anything outside. I don't see any of your issues as real threats to the wellbeing of trail goers...heck, they took much much bigger risks simply driving on a road to the trail.