This 11-mile Greenway extends from Forest Park to the Mississippi River in south St. Louis along the River des Peres, a channelized river draining 115 square miles of the St. Louis metropolitan area. The planning process evolved from a small beautification plan into visionary concepts proposing the transformation of this utilitarian “eyesore” into a community resource. The master plan address three key elements: 1) Greenway Trail System; 2) Historic Parkway Improvements; and 3) Environmental Restoration of the Channel.

The Great Rivers Greenway District is the developer and has embraced the recommended design paradigm that a “greenway” needs to be more than an asphalt trail. The 2-mile Phase 1 development was also their Pilot Greenway project, which established design standards and criteria for trails, pedestrian bridges, parking and landscape plantings. Phase 1 design services were completed by PDS staff while employees of Parsons, the design firm of record for that phase.

PDS has led design services for Phases 2, 3 and 4, which extends the trail another 3.2 miles to the Mississippi River. All phases have included trails, pedestrian bridges, plaza areas featuring a distinctive river “wave” paving pattern, trailhead parking, street crossings with pedestrian signals and landscape plantings.