UP to sell Rock Island Corridor in Missouri

Officials from Jackson County, Mo., and the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA) on Wednesday announced a cooperative agreement to purchase the 17.7-mile Rock Island Corridor from Union Pacific Railroad.

The corridor could be used as a connection along Missouri's Katy Trail to make it one of the longest trails in the country, said Jackson County Executive Mike Sanders in a news release.

The buyers have received $10 million in federal funds for future construction on the trail, according to Sanders. Additionally, KCATA will provide partial funding to acquire the corridor.

"Union Pacific is proud to be a partner in this project with Jackson County," said Lindsey Douglas, Union Pacific's director of public affairs for Kansas and Missouri. "We have addressed the major points related to the purchase of the Rock Island line and expect to finalize the agreement soon."

The total cost of acquiring the corridor would be around $52 million, according to a report in the Kansas City Star.