City of Newton
NEWTON, Kan. — At Tuesday night’s meeting, the Newton City Commission authorized an application to the Kansas Department of Transportation for a Transportation Alternatives (TA) grant to extend the Sand Creek Bike Path.
The project would extend bike path from the Sand Creek dam south along the creek to Southwest 14th Street. The new path would eliminate the remaining gap in the bike path, creating a continuous off-road trail from Sand Creek Station Golf Course on the south end all the way to Bethel College on the north. It will also create walking/biking access to the new Rhoades Wetland Park on SW 14th Street.
Total cost for the project is estimated at $3.6 million. The TA grant would pay for 80% of eligible costs, and the federal Highway Safety Improvement Program would cover the 20% match.
If the project is funded, the City would need to work with BNSF Railway on right-of-way and other coordination, as the path would cross under the railroad trestles south of First Street.
The grant application will be submitted this week, and award announcements are expected in July. If funded, the project will come back to the City Commission for approval prior to bidding.
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