Joplin lands $500k grant for new trail connecting MOmentum Bike Park
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A new $1 million trail project will soon connect two popular recreation areas in north Joplin.
The city announced that it has secured a $500,000 federal grant to construct a two-thirds-mile trail connecting Landreth Park to Dover Park and MOmentum Bike Park.
The 12-foot-wide trail will begin near the low-water bridge west of Murphy Boulevard and North Main Street, follow Joplin Creek and extend to Lone Elm Road.
The project also includes a new pedestrian bridge over Joplin Creek and additional trail signage.
The grant comes from the National Park Service's Land and Water Conservation Fund, administered through Missouri State Parks.
Joplin was among just 14 recipients selected from 33 applicants.
The city must provide $500,000 in matching funds, which will come from the voter-approved Parks and Stormwater Sales Tax.
"This grant is another big win for Joplin citizens and a project that will improve safety and convenience for bicyclists and pedestrians going in and out of the bike park," City Manager Nick Edwards said.
A separate project will eventually construct an underpass beneath North Main Street near Ozark Christian College and Dover Elementary School, allowing pedestrians and cyclists to avoid crossing the busy roadway. That project is not included in the new grant.
MOmentum Bike Park, which hosted the 2026 UCI Pump Track World Championships, is projected to attract more than 100,000 unique visits during its first year.
Construction on the new trail is expected to begin soon, with completion scheduled by 2028.
