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Of the 64 miles that will eventually stretch along the Nebraska side of the river, approximately 14 miles will be completed over the next 2 years. A 3-mile section already exists between the South Omaha Bridge and downtown Omaha. Work will begin soon on another 3-mile section that will run along Pershing Drive and the river from N.P. Dodge Park south to Power Park. Construction will also start downtown on a pedestrian bridge linking Heartland of America Park to Lewis and Clark Landing (the new park being built on the riverfront). An additional 6 miles that run from Power Park south to Lewis and Clark Landing should be under construction next year.

According to Larry Foster, acting parks director, the only part that will not get done right away is the link between downtown and the existing trail to the south. A few obstacles like bridging a sewer line, railroad tracks and a flood wall are delaying work on that portion. The Nebraska side of riverfront trails will be connected to Iowa by means of the new $23 million pedestrian bridge that is currently in the design stage. That project is expected to be completed sometime in 2005.

Iowa hopes to complete a riverfront trail that will stretch from Mondamin, north of Council Bluffs, to just across from the mouth of the Platte River. A 5-mile section that will start at the Western Historic Trails Center is planned to get under construction this year. The trail will pass under Interstate 80 and proceed along the Missouri River past Ameristar, Harrah's Casinos and the Riverside Golf Course. A 2.75-mile link between the city system and the Wabash Trace, which runs to the Missouri border, was completed last year.

When the Missouri River pedestrian bridge is completed in 2005, cyclists will be able to ride trails from Nebraska through Iowa all the way to the Missouri border. This Missouri River trail system will also be home to a series of sculptures and interpretive exhibits explaining the mission of Lewis and Clark as they traveled along the untamed Missouri River. With the 200th anniversary of that mission approaching in 2004, it is hoped that the project will attract visitors from around the world.

Omaha Mayor Mike Fahey and Council Bluffs Mayor Tom Hanafan jointly announced the $225,000 project at a recent press conference held in Levi Carter Park, one of the designated locations. The project is being funded by Back to the River, Inc. and the National Park Service.

Other Interpretive Sites Include:

Area artists are helping with the design process for the icon sculptures. Miller's Landing Park and one location in Council Bluffs will get full icon sculptures with a segmented swirl design in cast concrete that will measure 14 feet in diameter and stand 14 feet high. The sculptures can then be customized with inset artwork.

Lewis and Clark Landing will have a compass rose set in a plaza with the compass pointing northwest - the direction the explorers traveled. The plan is to also build a recreation of the Lewis and Clark campsite at Levi Carter Park, complete with a keelboat and pirogues.

For an on-line brochure that explains details of the 'Back to the River' trails, CLICK HERE.