The Kansas Department of Transportation has selected 20 projects to fund via the federal Transportation Alternatives Program:
KDOT received 43 applications from local units of government for funding consideration totaling more than $22.5 million.
Transportation Alternatives projects under this federal program include facilities for pedestrians and bicycles; rehabilitation of historic transportation buildings, structures or facilities; construction of turnouts, overlooks and viewing areas; conversion of abandoned railway corridors to trails; community improvement activities such as downtown streetscape enhancements and the control or removal of outdoor advertising;
Total cost for the 20 selected projects is $11.5 million. A minimum of 20 percent of the project cost must come from the applicant. [read more]
Bike/ped projects selected are:
- Atchison – Shared use path along U.S. 73 ($1,171,235)
- Cimarron – Construction of shared use path on Main Street ($191,452)
- Concordia – Shared use paths through College Drive Park ($462,387)
- Junction City – Shared use path along K-18 ($950,000)
- Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism – Phase II development of the Flint Hills Nature Trail ($1,972,592)
- Manhattan – Shared use path along Knox Lane ($165,100)
- McPherson – Shared use path along Avenue A ($302,910)
- Ottawa – Sidewalk and bike lanes on 15th Street ($223,203)
- Pittsburg – Shared use path along South Rouse Avenue ($656,103)
- Topeka – Implementation of Phase II of the Topeka Bikeways Master Plan ($223,075)
It’s great to see continued funding for the Flint Hills Nature Trail and the Topeka Bikeways Master Plan.
The Flint Hills Nature Trail funding is really exciting. A grant from last year is funding Phase I development of the trail, from Osawatomie to US 75 (with construction expected to begin by early fall this year). This new grant will fund development of the US 75-to-Admire section. Once complete, there will be an unbroken trail from Osawatomie to Council Grove, a distance of 90 miles. [Read more from the Kanza Rail-Trails Conservancy]
The Topeka Bikeways funding is also very important. This grant will go towards phase 2 of a 5-phase plan. It will add 13 additional miles of sharrows, bike lanes, intersections and sidepaths. The entire plan will take awhile (2026), but it expected to quadruple the number of people riding bikes for transportation and recreation in the city. That’s a truly transformative development, and a huge positive for our capital city. [Learn more from CJOnline and KansasFirstNews]
The South Rouse Avenue project in Pittsburg has been discussed for awhile, that there’s been some opposition to the concept from residents concerned about costs and possibly losing yard space. There is coverage of the grant from the Joplin Globe and the Pittsburg Morning Sun.
I don’t know much about the shared use path projects in Atchison, Cimarron, Concordia, Junction City, Manhattan, or McPherson, or the bike lanes project in Ottawa, but it’s good to see investments in active transportation infrastructure across the state.
