OWNER MEMBER SPOTLIGHT | GREAT RIVERS GREENWAY

A greenway may look like a simple path through a neighborhood. Behind it is a coordinated investment in transportation, engineering, public space and community connections.

For Great Rivers Greenway, an SLC3 owner member, that work continues to take shape across the region. An August funding approval committed approximately $10.5 million in federal investment to projects along the Brickline, Hodiamont and Centennial greenways, supporting future construction in St. Louis City and St. Charles County.

The projects offer a useful look at the infrastructure behind a connected region, from safer street crossings to wider bridges and improved drainage.

Three Projects, One Connected Vision

On August 26, East-West Gateway Council of Governments’ Board of Directors approved funding for three projects:

  • Brickline Greenway: $7.5 million for a 0.58-mile section along Market Street between Tucker Boulevard and Fourth Street, including intersection and crosswalk upgrades.
  • Hodiamont Greenway: $1.5 million for a 0.4-mile segment between Gwen Giles Park and Goodfellow Boulevard, including a paved greenway, improved lighting, high-visibility pavement markings and raised mid-block crossings.
  • Centennial Greenway: Approximately $1.54 million awarded to the City of St. Peters to reconstruct and widen 0.9 miles of the existing Spencer Creek Trail between Boone Hills Drive and Mexico Road. Work includes replacing two narrow bridges, installing a high-visibility pedestrian signal, and improving sight distance and drainage.

According to Great Rivers Greenway’s announcement, these federally funded projects are scheduled for construction in 2029 and 2030.

The Construction Behind the Connections

For the AEC community, the project scopes show how much work goes into making a route safe, accessible and useful.

A street crossing involves more than pavement markings. Bridge width can determine how comfortably people walking and riding bicycles share a route. Lighting, drainage and visibility all contribute to how a greenway functions after construction is complete.

These projects bring those details together within existing neighborhoods and transportation networks. Their value depends on both the quality of individual improvements and how well each segment connects with the places around it.

Brickline Moves Forward in Multiple Phases

The Market Street funding is one piece of the larger Brickline Greenway effort.

Great Rivers Greenway’s current project overview identifies construction underway on the North Connector between Fairground Park and Page Boulevard. Another segment along Spring Avenue, between Page and Lindell boulevards, is identified as ready to begin construction in fall 2026. Together, these connections will link neighborhoods with destinations including the Grand Center Arts District, Saint Louis University and public transit.

That phased approach is a defining feature of the project. Individual sections move through planning, design, funding and construction at different times, gradually building a larger network.

Public Investment and Regional Partnerships

Greenway development also illustrates how owners assemble funding and partnerships over time.

In its August announcement, Great Rivers Greenway reported that the Market Street award was the 12th federal contribution to Brickline, bringing federal awards for the project to approximately $61.9 million. The announcement also reported more than $80 million in donations through the Great Rivers Greenway Foundation, alongside local, state and federal investment.

For construction owners, this offers a regional example of how a long-term vision can advance through multiple funding sources and coordinated project phases.

A Regional Pipeline Worth Following

Great Rivers Greenway’s work connects public-space investment with practical infrastructure improvements. The next wave includes downtown street crossings, neighborhood connections in North St. Louis and trail and bridge upgrades in St. Peters.

For SLC3 members, these projects deserve attention throughout their development. They demonstrate how planning, engineering and construction come together to improve everyday access while building toward a broader regional network.

Each completed segment brings that vision closer to the people and places it is intended to serve.

Learn more: Read Great Rivers Greenway’s funding announcement and explore current Brickline project segments.