The Cass County Board of Commissioners met on May 6, 2025, to continue discussing  the final route for the MoPac East Connector Trail. While no formal vote on a final route was taken, the Board took action to form a subcommittee of two commissioners to further evaluate options.  

Commissioners stated they want more time to discuss the options in greater detail before moving forward with a final vote. The subcommittee will work with the LPSNRD and other project partners to continue reviewing the feasibility study and clarify questions.  

What’s next?

LPSNRD will continue working with Cass County in the next couple of weeks. The team is committed to keeping the process transparent and looks forward to continuing the conversation about how best to move the project forward.

The LPSNRD MoPac East-Lied Subcommittee is also scheduled to meet Thursday, May 15 at 5:30 p.m. at the LPSNRD office.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 

*For a full list of FAQs, please visit the project website.

Was Cass County involved in the feasibility study? 
Yes. Cass County was a full partner in the 2024 feasibility study. Cass County Commissioners representing the study area were actively involved from the beginning, including participating in the selection of the consultant team and attending progress meetings throughout the study. One of the Commissioners also attended LPSNRD subcommittee and board meetings and helped staff each of the nine public meetings—all held within Cass County. 

Following the LPSNRD subcommittee’s public hearing and recommendation for a final route, the Cass County Board of Commissioners held its own public hearing in November 2024, during which they approved the recommended route. That approval advanced the route to the LPSNRD Board of Directors for final consideration. 

To see LPSNRD’s agreements with Cass County, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, and JEO, visit the project website, click on the ABOUT THE STUDY tab, and scroll down to the Approved Agreements section. 

Is the trail project still moving forward? 
Yes. LPSNRD and Cass County continue to work together to identify a final route. Although design and engineering efforts will remain paused until a route is selected, the interlocal agreement between the two entities remains in place to move the trail project forward. 

What is the plan for addressing the funding gap between the state-allocated funds and the total project cost? 
The feasibility report, finalized in October 2024, identified numerous funding sources to help close the funding gap, including grants, partnerships, and private fundraising (see Chapter 7). However, how the gap is ultimately closed will depend on the final cost of the selected route, which can only be determined through more detailed design.  

The MoPac Alliance—a consortium of the Nebraska Trails Foundation, Great Plains Trail Network, and Bike Walk Nebraska—has provided the LPSNRD a letter of commitment in helping close the funding gap, and early fundraising efforts are already underway. 

Can the trail cross the road to avoid driveways?  
LPSNRD has shared with Cass County Commissioners that the trail can and will cross the roadway in some locations to help minimize impacts on adjacent properties—when doing so is both safe, feasible, and fiscally responsible. Future design phases will include more detailed analysis to ensure any crossings maintain a high standard of safety for all users.

The project team conducted a preliminary screening of driveway locations along the corridor to evaluate whether the trail could shift to the opposite side of the road in certain areas. Based on a desktop review, both sides of the roadway appear generally feasible for trail placement throughout most of the corridor. However, it may not be possible to avoid all driveways. 

Will Cass County and property owners adjacent to the trail corridor be included in the design phase?
Yes. Building on the feasibility study, LPSNRD remains committed to a transparent process, working closely with Cass County, property owners adjacent to the trail corridor, and other stakeholders to ensure thoughtful planning and implementation.  

During the design phase, the project team will coordinate directly with property owners along the selected alignment and will work to minimize impacts to private property wherever possible. 

Thank you for your continued interest as we work to connect the gap!

MoPac Feasibility Study