Two area trail projects are among the 18 Transportation Enhancements grants recently awarded by the Kansas Department of Transportation. Shawnee’s the Clear Creek Trail will be extended to connect with the popular Mill Creek Streamway that runs from the Kaw River all the way to Olathe. Tonganoxie’s Chieftain Trail will be extended to the town’s new post office.
KDOT press release (PDF).
Transportation Enhancements is a competitive grant program where states distribute federal transportation funds to projects that include bicycle/pedestrian, transit, landscaping, historic preservation, and more. KDOT awards T.E. funds on a state-wide bases, while in Missouri MoDOT divides up T.E. funds between different regions and lets locals decide how to spend the money. The latest round of Missouri T.E. applications were just submitted and the winners should be announced later this year.
Actually Missouri TE applications for the KC region haven’t been submitted yet this year. The call for projects will go out later this month, and recommendations should be made by the beginning of January.