Mississippi River Greenway Park

A Riverfront Park Vision Plan

The Mississippi River Greenway Park Vision Plan builds on the North Riverfront Open Space and Redevelopment Plan developed by LJC in 2015, focusing specifically on the 21-acre public realm immediately adjacent to the riverfront.

In harmony with the overall plan, the vision of this new linear park is to build upon the City Arch River investment’s success by extending the open space north through the Eads Bridge and completing the important link to the North Riverfront Trail. Along this new greenway would be a series of active and passive park spaces that provide a wide variety of new user experiences to activate the park.

Mississippi River Greenway Park would equip people with the space to facilitate activities recommended by the Citizen’s Advisory Committee that could not occur on the Arch Grounds. This new walkable and bike-friendly environment would leverage its proximity to the adjacent Metro Link Station to ensure regional connectivity and be accessible by boat on the river.

One of the major design concepts derived from the substantial reference to the varying flows of the river. While areas of this new greenway park are above the current flood levels and are protected by floodwalls, a large portion of this area would periodically flood. Several engineering attributes are incorporated into the plan to reduce and mitigate the negative impact of the occasional flooding. The sculpted terraces would create various experiences, including programs and event use such as overlooks, seated amphitheaters, accessible ramps, and seating, all working together to support the concept of “flows.

An anchor of this location is the LJC-designed and built Katherine Ward Burg Memorial Garden, a new .5-acre trailhead that is a crucial link in the Great Rivers Greenway Regional River Ring. It creates a unique place for St. Louisans to enjoy their riverfront.