Riverview Great Streets study aims for low‑impact ecotourism and multimodal connections near Spanish Lake

St. Louis County planners described final work on the Riverview Drive Great Streets study, a collaborative effort with East‑West Gateway, Great Rivers Greenway and consultant Sasaki to shape future multimodal improvements in the Spanish Lake area.

John Shrewsbury, the county’s Transportation Planning Supervisor, said the study area runs north of I‑270 through Spanish Lake with the Mississippi River to the east and the Columbia Bottom conservation area to the northeast. The study identifies about 22 bridges along the corridor that present maintenance and design challenges, and notes that in places the 100‑year floodplain approaches or crosses the roadway.

Shrewsbury said the planning team is exploring low‑impact, ecotourism‑oriented development as a likely fit for parts of the corridor and is examining potential trail alignments that could connect to existing attractions such as Chain of Rocks Park and conservation lands. He noted the timing aligns with the St. Louis Zoo’s Wildcare Park at Larimore Road, which is scheduled to open in 2027, creating some urgency for completing the plan.

The study also maps private and public ownership and identifies candidate rights‑of‑way for future improvements, while acknowledging that floodplain and bridge constraints will limit where and how much roadway or trail widening is feasible.

Why it matters: Riverview Drive links several recreational and conservation assets and carries constraints that affect safety and accessibility. The plan seeks to balance low‑impact visitation with multimodal access and resilience to flood risk.

Next steps: the county and consultant are finalizing the plan this month; staff said they would continue stakeholder engagement and publish existing‑conditions materials and draft recommendations on the project website.