Community Driven Since Day 1
In 1996, business and civic leaders created St. Louis 2004, a nonprofit to bring a renaissance to the 12-county bi-state region. More than 10,000 people were polled, 1,200 people participated in visioning sessions, and action teams established major goals, including one for Parks and Open Space, working with existing agencies and nonprofits.
The Voters Have Spoken
The Clean Water, Safe Parks and Community Trails Initiative proposition called for 1/10th of one cent sales tax to generate more than $20 million each year in Missouri to improve local parks (50% of revenue) and develop the regional network of greenways (50% of revenue). On November 7, 2000, Proposition C passed in St. Louis City, St. Louis and St. Charles counties in Missouri and in Madison and St. Clair counties in Illinois.
Setting It Up
Great Rivers Greenway is governed by a Board of Directors, appointed by the heads of the three counties we serve to represent those areas. Board members provide strategic and fiduciary oversight, approving plans, budgets and contracts through public monthly meetings.
Did you know that this vision takes major regional collaboration? We build the greenways, and our partners (towns, campuses, etc.) take care of the operations and maintenance. Sounds good in theory but is incredibly complex in practice.
Strategic Plans Every 5 Years
The first strategic plan in 2004/2005 focused on three outcomes a network of greenways could bring — economic development (strengthening economy, being a catalyst for growth), social capital (health, interactions, bonds) and environmental stewardship (preserves and enhances habitat). Stakeholders identified ways to improve the vibrancy and competitiveness of the St. Louis region. The possible routes were often named for the watersheds in our region.
Proof of Concept: Early Projects
Once the sales tax revenue began in 2001, we focused on funding projects already underway through partnership efforts such as the development of the Confluence (now Mississippi) and Meramec Greenways, the River des Peres Greenway (shown here), and a stormwater managment plan for the Dardenne Creek Watershed. By 2005, we had cut the ribbon on several new sections of the Meramec Greenway in Fenton, Kirkwood, and Wildwood.
Healthy Habitats Along Greenways
Within our mission to build greenways, we implement conservation projects along the way with partners, vendors and volunteers to:
- Create or improve natural habitats along greenways such as prairies, wetlands and forests, where plants, animals and pollinators thrive and storm and flood waters can be better managed.
- Build connections for people to stay healthy and make active transportation choices that reduce car pollution.
- Invite people to fall in love with and take care of nature through building greenways, ongoing education and volunteering opportunities.
Strategic Plans Every 5 Years
The second strategic plan update in 2010, through extensive community engagement, established an overall goal of the greenways to “make the St. Louis region a better place to live” in five key areas:
• Connect communities and neighborhoods
• Preserve and connect people to nature
• Improve economic vitality
• Provide transportation choices
• Promote good health
The community was also clear — although Great Rivers Greenway was set up to build the greenways — the agency also needed to help promote and sustain them.
While partners still did day-to-day care, we went on to create two new departments to market and activate the spaces and supplement their care with staff, vendors, volunteers, municipalities and local agencies.
Building More Miles For You
Between 2010 and 2012, we opened up nearly 30 miles of new greenways across the region for people to explore and enjoy! Some of the new miles were the St. Vincent Greenway, Boschert Greenway, Dardenne Greenway, two sections of the Centennial Greenway, Meramec Greenway and Sunset Greenway.
CityArchRiver Project: Public-Private Partnership
The CityArchRiver Project was a monumental undertaking from the beginning. The $380 million renovation of Gateway Arch National Park and its surrounding areas in downtown St. Louis was a historic partnership between the private sector and federal, state, and local government agencies to make the areas more accessible and dynamic.
Core partners include the National Park Service, Missouri Department of Transportation, Great Rivers Greenway, Bi-State Development, Gateway Arch Park Foundation, and Jefferson National Parks Association.
Proposition P: The Safe and Accessible Arch and Public Parks Initiative
In conjunction with the CityArchRiver Project, this second sales tax initiative, 3/16th of a cent, was put on the ballot and passed in St. Louis City and St. Louis County in April 2013. This tax was divided as well60% went to Great Rivers Greenway (half for greenways and half for the CityArchRiver project), while 40% went to the parks departments in those two counties.
Beyond the Build: Establishing Promote & Sustain Teams
Thanks to the increase in funds from Proposition P, Great Rivers Greenway was able to add new staff members to carry out the goals set for promoting and sustaining the greenways in the 2010 Strategic Plan. “Team Promote” was established to expand programming and communications efforts to bring more people to the greenways and increase awareness. “Team Sustain” was created to work with regional partners to restore and enhance habitats, support our partners in their operations and maintenance efforts to ensure the long term sustainability of the greenways.
Strategic Plans Every 5 Years
The next strategic plan update in 2015/2016 focused on improving internal operations. Great Rivers Greenway had many successful projects (113 miles of greenways) as well as many lessons learned. Much of this time in the agency’s history was spent developing and documenting best practices and operationalizing plans to achieve the goals set forth by the community.
Floodplains Along Greenways Have Important Jobs
While it can be an inconvenience to have a greenway or park closed during a major flood, that’s by design, much better than people and their homes being in danger! Open spaces let floodplains do their jobs to absorb, filter and release water back into the watersheds. We work with many partners and landowners to build greenways, occasionally acquiring important floodplain lands to ensure they continue to do their job to slow down, spread out and soak up storm and flood waters.
Leveraging Your Investment Through the Great Rivers Greenway Foundation
Even with steady sales tax revenues, the demand for greenways and the increasing costs and complexity of projects far surpasses the funds availablegreenways can cost $5-$20 million per mile to construct! The Great Rivers Greenway Foundation launched in 2016 with the goal of supporting the mission and vision of the agency by soliciting private funding from grants, foundations and individual donors through a Friends program. Our community’s generosity supports capital projects, conservation programs and operations and maintenance of the greenways.
Brickline Greenway Was Born
The conceptual idea for the Chouteau Greenway to connect Forest Park and the Gateway Arch came from McCormack Baron Salazar in the late 1990s/early 2000s, before GRG. In late 2017, many partners came together to resurrect the idea through a privately-funded international design competition. Over 2,062 people contributed ideas and community and stakeholder groups guided the competition. Companies and individuals from around the world (19 teams) submitted qualifications, 4 were hired to create concepts for the community to review, and a final vision was chosen to move forward. More than 1,000 ideas for names from the community brought “Brickline Greenway”.
CityArchRiver Impact To St. Louis
Great Rivers Greenway is part of the CityArchRiver Alliance of partners. Part of our job of stewarding the taxpayers’ investment was to carefully divide the work into 14 different contracts so that local contractors had the capacity, bonding ability and insurance to bid. Even on the projects where the National Parks Service was in charge, with our partners, we promoted opportunities so local businesses could understand the process, form teams with each other and submit their bids. And it worked! 87% of all contract dollars in the $380 million project went to 158 contracts with area firms. Great Rivers Greenway also played the role of coordinator for common site items, for consistency and quality control, such as high quality soil and amenities. We continue to support operations and maintenance today.
Putting Systems in Place
During this time (as always with the help of partners and community members) Great Rivers Greenway solidified guidelines for greenway design, civic engagement, interpretation and public art, brand and environmental graphics, inclusion, new sign standards, level of care for once the greenway is built and a project management software system to catalog timeline, budgets, stakeholders and risks.
Engagement At All Levels First, Often, Always
Throughout all stages, our greenway projects use a cycle of engagement that prioritizes community voice and input throughout planning and design. Our process allows the team to engage a variety of audiences throughout several phases; we “Ask” for input, “Align” community feedback with project feasibility and “Act” through advancement of the project from phase to phase. We meet people where they are and build civic trust, involving the public in the project because we know they are the experts on their communities and their investment and ownership are crucial to long-term successful projects.
Strategic Plans Every 5 Years
Despite a global pandemic, the team did wide-scale community engagement in late 2020 through 2022 to continue the strategic plan updates. While largely digital, more than 7,000 people participated in this process to envision the next 20 years for GRG. The key questions asked were about how and where to plan the next greenways, how to ensure an excellent visitor experience, defining our role in conservation, exploring the right model for operations and maintenance and ensuring equitable outcomes in our impact.
COVID-19, Greenways Become Must-Haves
At the height of the 2020 pandemic, visits to the greenways shot up from 2 million to 3 million annually. Getting outside to take care of your physical, mental, emotional health was one of the only activities you could do, whether to get safe human connection or much-needed alone time. We heard from so many people that the greenways were critical to their quality of life, and the habits stuck!
More Greenways For You To Explore & Enjoy!
In 2022 and 2023, we celebrated eight new projects across our community. New segments opened on the St. Vincent, Mississippi, Meramec, Centennial, Deer Creek and Brickline Greenways, across all three counties.
Partner Summit: Long-Term Greenway Care
Dozens of our operational partners, including mayors and staff, gathered in fall 2023 to understand the challenges and opportunities around the region, brainstorm solutions for equitable distribution of resources, and envision the future of greenway care for years to come. Brainstorms included a consistent set of rules for the greenways (across jurisdictions) or how partners could work together, loan each other specialized equipment, etc. to best care for greenways.
Chain of Rocks Park
Chain of Rocks Park on the Mississippi Greenway opened in April 2024, drawing from a variety of funding sources including local greenway tax dollars, a grant through the National Park Service and donations from local philanthropists. Improvements included new amenities like a shade shelter and drinking fountain as well as restored prairie, wetland and a permeable paver parking lot.
Brickline Greenway: More Than Just A Trail
The Pillars of the Valley exhibit at Energizer Park is just one of the ways that the Brickline Greenway is connecting people to St. Louis. This art installation by Damon Davis, with more to come along Market Street to Harris-Stowe State University, honors the people of Mill Creek Valley. More at BricklineGreenway.org/millcreek
New greenways and groundbreakings are a fitting way to celebrate 25 years of Great Rivers Greenway in 2025! This year, another section of the Centennial Greenway in Olivette was added, work continues on the Brickline Greenway, and Oxford Bend Park on the Deer Creek Greenway is coming to life as well as other projects across the region. To find the latest updates on all greenway projects in progress, visit GreatRiversGreenway.org
25 Years, 3 Leaders
CEOs David Fisher served from 2002-2010, Susan Trautman from 2010-2025 and Mark Perkins began in August 2025. Lifelong public servants, these visionary leaders have stewarded an ever-growing staff and hundreds of partners toward this bold, community-driven vision.
Sunset Greenway Looks to Head South
First identified in the 2020 Regional Plan, this future greenway project will extend the existing Sunset Greenway from Coldwater Commons Park in Florissant 6.6 miles south to St. Vincent Greenway at the North Hanley MetroLink Station. This is in early planning stages with community!
Deer Creek Greenway Looks to Head Northwest
This project is studying how Deer Creek Greenway at Lorraine Davis Park (shown here) in the City of Webster Groves and Brentwood Park in the City of Brentwood could expand west through Rock Hill to St. Louis County’s Tilles Park in the City of Ladue. The goal is to eventually connect this segment to Ladue’s new shared use path near I-64 and Clayton Road with an ultimate connection to Ladue Horton Watkins High School.
Volunteer Power Makes the Greenways Grow
Volunteer service is critical to our mission. From Board Members to community committees that advise projects, to our ambassadors working at outreach events or leading greenway tours, to our field days full of community members picking up trash and planting trees, people giving back keeps us moving forward. From all ages and backgrounds, in large corporate groups or small families or individuals, 2024 alone saw 3,000+ volunteers contribute more than 9,000 hours of service, the equivalent of 5 full-time staff members!
Western Greenway Looks to Head North
In design now, this project will create a 1.25 mile trail in Dr. Edmund A. Babler Memorial State Park in unincorporated St. Louis County neighboring the City of Wildwood. The proposed greenway will connect existing trails in the park and make connections to existing parking lots, picnic areas, recreational fields, playgrounds, and camping areas.
Determining Feasibility of a Meramec Greenway Bridge
Great Rivers Greenway and St. Louis County Parks have been working together to reimagine Unger Park, including the greenway and other park features. The flood study during that project and the community’s desires pointed to studying the feasibility of a new bridge across the river. The team is currently studying whether a bridge can be constructed to create a vital connection for greenway visitors across the Meramec River between Greentree Park and Unger Parks to unite those two segments of greenway.
A Critical Connection on Centennial Greenway
An important future backbone of the Centennial Greenway that connects from Forest Park to Creve Coeur Park, the Katy Trail and beyond, this project would connect many St. Louis County neighborhoods west of I-270 to Creve Coeur Park and the countless destinations and activities there.
Our Foundation Building LongLasting Support
The Great Rivers Greenway Foundation has grown into a thriving nonprofit to support the public agency and the people’s vision for the region. Thanks to generous gifts from our donors and volunteer support from Board Members and Campaign Committees, major publicprivate partnership projects like Brickline Greenway are possible. Donations help bring new features to greenways like a bike fix-it station or a solar-powered charging station on a bench. Many thanks to all who support these efforts!
Spencer Creek Upgrades & Becoming Centennial Greenway
GRG is working with the City of St. Peters to upgrade and connect their existing Spencer Creek trail to become accessible, updated and part of Centennial Greenway! This 3.5 mile project goes between McClay Road to Mexico Road at the St. Peters City Centre (including the City Centre Park, Recreation Complex and City Hall). With lots of use already, making this area more accessible to people of all abilities will increase opportunities even further.
Dardenne Greenway Heads North
Dardenne Greenway will be expanding north of Mexico Road through the St. Peters Golf Course Clubhouse and ultimately connecting to Salt Lick Road! As a community priority and recipient of a federal grant, this will happen in phases, with construction starting next year.
Deer Creek Greenway & Oxford Bend Park
The final connection between Deer Creek and River des Peres Greenways is imminent! Not only will the greenway construction soon make this vital connection between Webster Groves, Maplewood and the St. Louis cities, but the new Oxford Bend Park will be an added bonus.
Maline GreenwayDouble Duty!
Two new Maline Greenway segments are on their way; first, Ted Jones Trail to West Florissant Avenue in Ferguson goes through Forestwood Park along Maline Creek. Next, the greenway will extend to Bella Fontaine West Park, connecting to the existing trails there. These are in coordination with St. Louis County’s efforts to implement the Great Streets plan on W. Florissant Ave, with federal funds.
Get Your Kicks on Route 66
In partnership with Missouri State Parks, plans are being finalized to make the greenway connection in 2026 across the Meramec River between the two currently disconnected parts of Route 66 State Park, letting people walk and bike from Eureka to the park and onto St. Louis County’s West Tyson Park, along with critical emergency and maintenance vehicle access.
Hodiamont Greenway is Coming to the Tracks
Once the route of a streetcar line (and later a bus route), the Hodiamont Tracks connect the Vandeventer, Lewis Place, Fountain Park, Academy/Sherman Park, Visitation Park, West End and Covenant Blu-Grand Center neighborhoods in the City of St. Louis. Gwen Giles Park (shown here) will get improvements as the western trailhead starting this fall.
Taking Care of the Greenways Takes a Village
Our partnerships to take care of the greenways vary, just like our partners do. We have developed Level of Care Guidelines to lay out exactly what is expected after the greenway is built, and we have a Lifecycle Cost-Analysis to help estimate the budgets for that work.
To ensure that any given greenway visitor has an excellent experience no matter where they are, we support our partners with our own staff, vendors and volunteers. We take some responsibilities on directly, and we offer workshops and trainings to our partners to support their efforts.
Full Steam Ahead on Centennial Greenway
Working with the City of Olivette, after six years of negotiations with the railroad, we are successfully moving forward with the Centennial Greenway extension off of Olive Road on an old railroad line, unused for 60 years! This can now finally be designed so you can connect to Warson Park and beyond.
Connecting to 39North: AgTech Innovation District
Collaborating with Creve Coeur and the St. Louis Economic Development Partnership, the Centennial Greenway will connect to and through this large employment center, as well as go beyond to create safer crossings at Olive and Warson Roads, plus US 67.
Last Piece of the St. Vincent Puzzle
This is the last section of greenway needed to close the gap between the northern and southern sections of the existing St. Vincent Greenway! When complete, The St. Vincent Greenway will extend 7 miles from the North Hanley MetroLink Station through University of Missouri-St. Louis campus, St. Vincent Park, Pagedale’s town center, Wellston’s Trojan Park, through Ruth Porter Mall Park, along DeBaliviere, all the way to Forest Park, right here at the MO History Museum!
Construction on this final segment starts in 2025 with many partners and federal funding support. Stay tuned to watch the exciting progress!
Stewarding Your Investment
We take our job of managing your vision and investment very seriouslyon average, 95 cents on every dollar is returned to the community in the form of greenway projects and programs. Since 2000, the average St. Louisan has invested just less than 50 cents/month (less than $6/year) toward the network of greenways and parks to make the region even more vibrant, connected, resilient, and competitive.
Connecting Us to Our Region and Each Other
There are many opportunities to spark curiosity, conversation, learning and connection along the greenways! While we aren’t history experts and we cannot tell every story in every community, we hope we pique people’s interest so they can pursue their own education, curiosity, conversations and experiences to make meaning and connections in these amazing places throughout our region. With community input and research, we identify some key themes and share them through signs, stories online, public art, events, and tours.
Brickline Greenway on Track for 2030
Brickline Greenway has two segments built, two under construction, and many more in planning and design, alongside community. This public-private partnership is 64% to the funding goal, built for St. Louis by St. Louis. Join us to reopen Market Street in the spring!
The Youngest Family Member: Meet Baltic Creek Greenway!
Through the St. Charles County Greenway Plan, community members and stakeholders told us that a new greenway linking the existing Dardenne Greenway at St. Charles Community College with the KATY Trail State Park was a high priority. We have made progress planning the northernmost section of the greenway, nestled between the Dardenne Greenway and Hwy 364/94 in St. Peters and Cottleville.
Strategic Plans Every 5 Years
Be part of our strategic planning process in 2026! Your input, as always, will be a driving force of the next evolution of our region’s visions for a vibrant region connected by greenways. Subscribe for updates, events, and other opportunities at GreatRiversGreenway.org/subscribe
Your Choice By 2033
By 2033, voters in St. Louis City and St. Louis County will have the opportunity to vote one more time on Proposition P. If voters approve the renewal, because the CityArchRiver project is now finished, the portion of the funds for that site (now for ongoing maintenance instead of construction) will be smaller and the portion that is for greenways will increase. If renewed, the fraction of a cent of sales tax will remain the same for community members, no new cost.
These Greenways Are For YOU
There are a million reasons to love the St. Louis region. Get to know 140 of ‘em! Take a trip on some of the 140 miles of greenways (and counting!) and bring a friend, will ya? Let’s celebrate 25 years of turning local places into special spaces for you to explore and enjoy.
