More riverside room

Cape Girardeau is expanding its view of the Mississippi River for those who are willing to take the time to get past the floodwall.

The city council Monday night awarded a $291,683 contract to Nip Kelley Equipment Co. for construction of the second phase of the River Front Trail, extending the concrete walkway from the Broadway floodgate northward 750 feet.

The result will be an expanded river front park.

The new project comes even as the same contractor is finishing up work on the $419,822 first phase of the trail, which included the preservation and renovation of a nearly century-old concrete guardrail built atop a retaining wall.

The first phase extends 923 feet south from the Themis Street floodgate. It includes five concrete observation decks, reached by descending several steps.

On Tuesday, construction continued on the final concrete work for the first-phase observation decks. The project also includes replacing tie-down structures used in docking boats and construction of sidewalks on several downtown streets.

The first-phase project, which began this summer, should be completed within the next few weeks, city officials said.

Construction of the second phase, which could start early next year, is expected to take a little over three months.

When completed next year, the concrete trail will extend half a mile along the riverbank. That distance includes the city's 650-foot-long concrete and cobblestone park between the Broadway and Themis streets floodgates.

City officials and civic leaders said the project will open up the city's riverfront to hikers and bikers, as well as provide places to sit and gaze at the river.

"Anything we can do to redevelop our riverfront is crucial to helping our entire downtown," said Catherine Dunlap, executive director of Old Town Cape, an organization focused on helping revitalize the downtown business district.

But Convention and Visitors Bureau director Chuck Martin said a tourism study shows that many visitors aren't aware they can cross the railroad tracks and walk through the Broadway and Themis streets floodgates to look at the river.

Martin said the city needs welcoming signs on the city side of the floodwall to invite visitors to take advantage of the park and view the river.

The second-phase project will include seven observation decks overlooking the river, with each deck spaced about 100 feet apart, said Abdul Alkadry, a civil engineer with the city's engineering department. The decks will be on the same level as the walkway. One of the decks will be a circular overlook. Park benches will be installed as part of the project.

It also will include 14 decorative light fixtures reminiscent of the early 1900s. The fixtures will be mounted atop the floodwall. The lights will be spread along the entire trail, Alkadry said.

Federal highway funds from the Missouri Department of Transportation are paying 80 percent of the cost of both phases of the trail project, officials said. The city is paying the remainder.

mbliss@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 123