Frisco Highline Trail offers family-friendly jaunt

It was a gorgeous day for a ramble, a stroll, or even a meander. On a superb late spring morning, a ribbon-cutting ceremony and dedication of the first 10 miles of the Frisco Highline Trail at the Willard High School trail head provided all the hiking, biking and horseback riding opportunities anyone would ever need.

The story of the rebuilding of the railroad right of way along the original St. Louis-San Francisco railway corridor a 30-mile stretch from Willard to Bolivar into a recreational trail is a microcosm of the national Rails to Trails effort.

It involved officially sanctioned abandonment of the railbed right of way by the Burlington Northern Railroad and years of dedicated effort by Ozark Greenways members. It took planning and funding help from area and state agencies and leadership from local communities, such as Willard and Walnut Grove. Many volunteers and donor companies have combined material, donations and labor to re-open the newest rail trail.

"The assistance of many political leaders was instrumental in getting this trail built and opened. Joe Cosby, mayor of Willard, helped by volunteering the community of Willard as the first official trail sponsor community," said Terry Whaley, Ozark Greenways director.

Whaley said state Sen. Roseanne Bentley, state Reps. Norma Champion and Mike Schilling gave assistance in coordinating the various state agencies involved. Schilling was instrumental in getting adjacent land holders to agree to not contest the abandonment of the right of way and the railbanking of the rail bed.

Greene County Presiding Commissioner Dave Coonrod has been involved and also spoke at the ribbon cutting. Springfield Mayor Lee Gannaway was present and read the official proclamation from City Council recognizing the long-term efforts of Ozark Greenways and its supporters, and honoring the official opening of the trail.

"State of Missouri agencies gave the financial grants and aid that were key to acquiring the property, starting with a grant of well over $100,000 from the Department of Conservation that was used to win a matching grant from the Department of Transportation," Whaley said. "We got very capable assistance from Becky Baltz at MoDOT, and they have been very involved in many other areas around Springfield with us. More planning and building assistance came from Mark McCarthy and the folks at the Missouri Department of Conservation."

The project began in in 1994 with the approval by the Interstate Commerce Commission of the Ozark Greenways proposal to go ahead with acquiring the 30.4 mile segment of the rail corridor of the former Willard to Bolivar railroad line.

In a brilliant stroke of recycling salvage for value, the entire 30 miles of steel rails was sold for scrap, and the resulting funds used to complete the purchase of the rail corridor from Burlington Northern in 1994.

After the purchase of the corridor, a study completed in May 1995 by a Southwest Missouri State University community and regional planning class provided a framework for comprehensive planning and development for the trail.

In February 1999, Kennedy Contractors of Springfield began constructing a crushed-stone surface on 11.7 miles of the trail between Willard and Walnut Grove, designed by Bucher, Willis & Ratliff of Kansas City for bicycling, walking, jogging and wheelchair-friendly uses.

The Rails to Trails concept is a feature of the original Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act program. The federal Rails to Trails Act of 1983 allows unprofitable and abandoned rail systems to be placed into a railbank so, if they are ever needed for rail conversion, national/state emergencies or utility corridors, they are easily convertible.

The original Frisco railway took Ozarks travelers to the fabled Barbary Coast of San Francisco and faraway Northern California. With the new multi-use trail, strolling lovers, meandering families, determined joggers, resolute bikers and horseback riders will be able to enjoy their own dream destinations.

Stone and material for the project has been provided by Conco Companies of Springfield, many of whose employees are Ozark Greenways members, and Conco volunteers have been involved with the work, starting with Tom Netzer, president of Ozark Greenways.

Those who were not able to attend the trail-opening ceremonies but would still like to become involved should not despair, according to Whaley.

"Ozark Greenways has many projects and chores available for more volunteer efforts," Whaley said, including preparation of the remaining 18 miles of trail surface