BY LUCIE KRISMAN
New state funding will go toward improving walking and bicycling safety connected to Eudora Elementary.
The Kansas Department of Transportation awarded Eudora $1.1 million in grant funds last week toward a project to build a new sidewalk in town.
The funding comes as part of Gov. Laura Kelly’s allotment of $13.5 million toward transportation alternatives projects throughout the state. The 75-page application for the sidewalk project was submitted by the city in late 2020
The new sidewalk will run along 10th Street, beginning at Church Street and ending at Peach Street to connect to the elementary school. From April to June, the City Commission and the state will confirm final agreements of the project and select a project consultant.
During the summer, a design for the project will be completed, and the bid process and project review will take place in the fall and winter. The project will break ground in spring 2022, with a goal of completion by the end of the 2023 fiscal year.
City management analyst Jeff Rhodes said this project will create more connectivity and opportunity for residents to walk and bike safely from school and across town, similar to the county’s Safe Routes to School plan.
“When the elementary school was built, it was kind of out there almost all by itself,” Rhodes said. “It just kind of creates that connection and that’s part of the bigger plan.”
He said receiving the funds for this project will help the city put existing funds toward other similar infrastructure projects.
“The city has stated plans and visions to expand our existing sidewalk network to fill in any gaps that we currently have to improve some of the older rundown sidewalks,” Rhodes said. “It’s not going to happen in one year, but it will be split up several years and just allow us to go a little bit further and deeper with the money we have on hand as a city operating budget.”
Reach reporter Lucie Krisman at eudoratimes@gmail.com.
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