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Updates on metro-east trails

Some items in the news about metro-east bicycle trails:

McKinley Bridge update: The St. Louis Post-Dispatch has a story in its Sunday editions about the bicycle and walking path under construction as part of the renovations to the McKinley Bridge, which links St. Louis and Venice, Ill. The path will serve as another connection between the Riverfront Trail in St. Louis and Madison County Transit's Confluence Trail, which currently extends from Granite City to Alton, Ill.

New trail underpass planned for Edwardsville: The Edwardsville Intelligencer reports Madison County Transit soon will be taking bids for an underpass at Troy Road (formerly Illinois Route 159). The road carries more than 20,000 vehicles a day, and the underpass will make it safer for people wishing to use the Nickel Plate Trail and the Madison County Nature Trail.

Attack on MetroLink Trail: On Friday, the Belleville News-Democrat reported that a 49-year-old female jogger was knocked to the ground by a bicyclist, then fondled, while on the MetroLink Trail about 8:40 p.m. Wednesday. The woman gave a detailed description of the suspect, but the suspect is not in custody.

The attack is the second incident on the trail this year. In June, a registered sex offender was arrested after he allegedly verbally assaulted a woman and three children on a bike trail near Southwestern Illinois College and Green Mount Road.

News of the attack may reducing use of the trail, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says. One cyclist told a reporter he saw fewer people on the trail Saturday than normal, but one woman said she plans to continue walking on the trail despite the recent attack.

Belleville Police Chief David Ruebhausen and a sexual abuse counselor for Call for Help suggest people should consider going out of the trail with at least one other person to reduce the risk of an attack.

Roger 0 comments 10:54 AM