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O'Fallon outlines three path projects; Twin Island (Busch) Connector ribbon cutting next week
Summary
Engineering staff updated the committee on three shared‑use path projects: the nearly completed Twin Island Trailhead (approx. $3.87M, ribbon cutting next Tuesday 2–4 p.m.), the Dardenne Greenway Sports Park to Bluebird Meadow Park project (engineer's estimate $4.88M, TAP and county funding expected), and the Highway N Shared Use Path (design complete; recommended for federal TIP funding).
Lily Thomas, project manager in O'Fallon's Engineering Department, briefed the Public Works Advisory Committee on three active shared‑use path projects that together extend the city's greenway network.
Twin Island Trailhead (also called the Busch Connector): Thomas said construction began in July and the Technology Drive bridge is open; total construction costs came in at about $3,870,000, with MoDOT covering roughly $2,169,799 and the City of O'Fallon covering about $1,700,000. The project received a Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) award of $657,798 and Great Rivers Greenway contributed $275,000 toward design and construction. Thomas said the trailhead and parking area remain closed while wayfinding signs are installed but the city will hold a ribbon‑cutting next Tuesday from 2:00–4:00 p.m.; attendees are asked to park at St. Charles Community College Dardenne Creek campus and walk about 0.32 miles to the site.
Dardenne Greenway — Sports Park to Bluebird Meadow Park: Thomas described a 12‑foot shared use path that includes a prefabricated 150‑foot pedestrian bridge, floodplain bank stabilization and park crossings with rapid‑flashing beacons and rumble‑strip approaches. She gave an engineer's estimate of $4,879,890 for construction (project not yet bid) and said the city has a TAP award of $900,000, expects about $1.4 million from Great Rivers Greenway and has an existing Saint Charles County agreement for $450,000; county officials are considering a larger 2027 contribution (Thomas cited a possible figure around $1,289,945) that would function as a 50‑50 construction match.
Highway N Shared Use Path: Thomas said preliminary plans are complete for a 10‑ to 14‑foot shared use path from Spring Orchard Drive to Meadow Lake Drive, with ADA curb ramps, truncated domes and high‑visibility crosswalks. She said the project was recommended for federal funding on the 2027–2030 TIP, design work was funded in part by Saint Charles County ($158,880 design agreement, 80/20 split), and estimated construction costs are about $1,424,827 (not yet bid). Thomas said the city, Cottleville and Saint Charles County have agreed in principle to partner on construction and that the project ties into adjacent greenway systems.
Committee members asked schedule and coordination questions (for example, prefabricated bridge construction could require about nine months for the bridge installation phase once work begins) and raised future connection opportunities west of Highway K that could involve an additional pedestrian bridge or roadway accommodations.
Thomas closed by noting ongoing utility coordination and environmental review required for the Highway N project and thanking partner agencies for design and funding support; the committee did not take formal votes on the projects during the meeting.
