The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks recently announced that Kansas is the recipient of a $24.8 million Federal Grant, made possible by the U. S. Department of Transportation’s “Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity”, or RAISE, program. The Flint Hills Trail, the longest trail in Kansas and the eighth-longest rail-trail in the United States, will be the recipient.
Director of Kansas State arks, Linda Lanterman, cited Ottawa as a town that has already benefited from the Flint Hill Trail and, with the Grant, she is sure the other cities will see those benefits. The Grant project will make infrastructure improvements on over 40 miles of the trail, including opening 27 miles of the trail, from Council Grove to Herington. Drainage improvements, pipes, culverts, bridges, base improvements, limestone surfacing, fences and gates, safety improvements and signage are included. This will open the full length of the Flint Hills Trail’s 118 miles, making it part of 186 miles of directly connected trails in Eastern Kansas.
