Several people have asked me recently about updating my posts on the closure of the Indian Creek Trail at Switzer in Overland Park. I also get quite a few visits based on people searching for keywords like:
Indian Creek Trail Closure Switzer Construction Dates.
I've got news, but you may not like it.
I called Overland Park's Park Service Department and asked for an estimated date for the project to be completed and was told that they last they'd heard from the Kansas Department of Transportation was "late spring." I found that a little hard to believe after riding to the site this morning.
Since I've got some connections to folk working at KDOT, I asked how I could go about getting a more realistic answer. I was able to call the KDOT construction office in Olathe and was told the new estimate for completion is now "November of this year."
If you'll look back to my post from August 5, 2011, the original time frame for the closure was July 18, 2011 to March 2012. On May 17, 2012 I reported that the date had been pushed back to November 2012. In December I was told "Spring 2013". Here's hoping that it will be open some time in 2013.
9 comments:
Sunday, April 21st 11 a.m. I am planning to take off from 135th & Rosehill in South Overland Park on Indian Creek Trail (127th & Pflumm) to Leawood Park and then back on Tomahawk Creek Trail (about 25 miles).
Will check out Switzer/ 69 Highway Construction and report. Last year I crossed it on foot with the bike on my shoulders - was a mess, got my feet all covered in thick layer of dirt. After that I took detour on 119th to apartments right past 69 highway and took the main apartment road North to tennis courts and then connected there to the trail. This is an alternative to going up North on Grant. This way you only go through apartments and not through dense single housing neighborhood and enjoy the trail almost from 69 Highway on the other end.
I'll check out both sides of constuction and will report.
The trail under 69 is still closed, however is passable with bike on your shoulders. As the trail goes up and then down on overpass the concrete ends with a drop of more than 1 foot. On my mountain bike I tried slowly jump of it and fell - so, don't try it. About 20-30 feet of soil large rocks covering the underpass under the highway. If it rains you'll be dirty. You can step on rocks with your bike on your shoulders. Be very careful as your foot can slip and you can get hurt. You cannot just walk besides your bike, the rocks are too big.
Also, as an alternative (not recommended) you can cross 69 highway on foot and connect on the other side. Just be careful.
The detour on 119th Street East past 69 Highway is the best safest alternative. You can take left into the apartment complex and go on main street to tennis courts on the North side and connect with the trail this way.
Or take Grant North and go to College and then connect to the trail there.
Also, forgot to mention that a portion of the trail under construction under 69 Highway has concrete with rocks embedded into it like the photos for this blog entry show. I don't remember this from last year, must be a recent development this spring. The rocks I referred to in my post that I walked on yesterday with my mountain bike on my shoulders are the size of backpacks, computer bags, and suitcases.
I see you are an avid reader? Sounds interesting. A friend of mine, David, and I read quite a bit (he much more than I do) and we hook up biking and chat about stuff.
May I interest you in a reading and biking club? Sound like fun.
David lives off 97th and State Line and I normally hook up with him in Leawood City Park off Mission and I-435 and then we pedal to a park at 123rd and Nall and take a rest there and chat.
Reading and Biking Club? Don't think there is anything like this in Johnson County?
DP...
Sounds interesting. I'd probably be up to it around mid-June. Right now I'm concentrating on training rides for Biking Across Kansas. Keep me in mind.
K, keep me posted. I'll check in with you later in Mid-June.
Oh, man! Biking Across Kansas? Wow! I read about it last year. Sounds like fun! Not sure I can handle it. I see that an average daily distance is 60-65 miles. I started biking last mid summer and the most I do about 25 miles around Indian Creek and Tomahawk Creek.
Last Saturday I made it to I-470 and Raytown Road to a friend of mine's bonfire and soup event. From my house in Overland Park(about 20 miles or so). From State Line and College on RedBridge it was uphill for about 6 miles or so, I really enjoyed it.
I assume this is nothing compared to what you'll have to go through. Good luck prepping for it.
They have started putting it back. They have put in black-top under a portion and could have the trail pavement done by next Saturday if it were a priority. Still back-fill and grass after that but it is much closet than it looked in April.
I checked out the Switzer crossing. It still shows (coming NE) Path Closed but you can make it very carefully. It is better now than last time I reported in April. The large rocks are gone,a small area of rocks buried in concrete is between the higwya lanes. You can bike on it but very slowly and carefully. This area ajoins a drop in the concrete trail of about 1/3 foot (the height of the concrete trail). I was able to jump it up and down on my mountain bike with no problem. There is a lot of dried up dirt after the rain. They have blacktopped the curb from Switzer onto trail, it's really nice and it seamlessly joins a concrete portion that then has drop I described above. Much better than before, no need to carry the bike on your shoulders.
I was able to ride through Saturday without any steps. The trail is completely paved all the way through. From the west side east there isn't really a trail closed sign but there is on the east side so I don't know if it is officially open.
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