Bikers' blues: Another delay on extending Little Blue trail

The biking and hiking trail along the Little Blue River in eastern Independence is a treasured asset. You can breathe fresh air, get a light workout and see nature up close. It’s popular, and we need many more such trails.

That’s why it’s disappointing that plans to extend the trail to the southwest have been delayed – again. Officials have promised a three-and-a-half-mile extension to the southwest, from the commercial area near to Interstate 70 and Missouri 291 all the way to Lee’s Summit Road.

First, it was supposed to have been done last  fall. Then it was this spring. Now spring has come and gone, and officials now say it could be next spring. This is all apparently because three governments – the city, Jackson County and the state – can’t get the consultants and contracts together. Why? The state has coughed up the money. This is a bike trail, not interstate. Thumbs down to delay and disappointment.

It’s easy to think of these trails becoming even more popular. Not that people will scrap their cars for the morning commute, but officials do hope one day to have a metrowide network of trails. It would be nice if Independence had more than the Little Blue Trail to add to the mix.