NOW OPEN!

LIED PLATTE RIVER BRIDGE

The $2.7 million Platte River Connection project, including the recently named Lied Platte River Bridge opened
June 1, 2002. The Lied Foundation was a major contributor to this project.

Work on the abandoned Rock Island Bridge, which stretches over the Platte near South Bend in eastern Nebraska, has
included many phases to make sure this bridge provides a safe and efficient trail for hikers and bikers. The top of the old bridge
came off this year, to be replaced by a 14-foot wide concrete trail with railings and scenic viewing platforms.

On the Cass County side, parking lots are now available, as well as the short trail that will eventually connect to
Lincoln's MoPac East trail. On the Sarpy County side of the project, crews have completed a parking lot as well. A short
trail has been built there, bringing the total mileage to 1½ miles between parking lots. This bridge and adjacent
connector trails will be a first step in linking Omaha and Lincoln via a trail system to be completed within the next 5 to 10 years.
The two short trails on each side of the bridge connect to Highway 31 on the north and Highway 66 on the south, providing
a scenic view of the Platte River in a popular portion of the Platte River Corridor. Already this area hosts attractions such as
Mahoney and Schram State Parks, Strategic Air Command Museum, Quarry Oaks Golf Course and the Henry Doorly
Zoo Conservation Farm.

Many groups and agencies have worked to make this bridge renovation possible. The Papio NRD teamed with the
Lower Platte South NRD based in Lincoln, the Nebraska Trails Foundation, the Great Plains and the Eastern Nebraska
Trails Networks, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and the NE Dept. of Roads. Funding for this project is
provided by many of these agencies as well as from federal transportation funds available through the US Department of Transportation. The Kiewit Foundation also contributed greatly to this project.

For more information contact Gerry Bowen at 444-6222 or gbowen@papionrd.org .