City gets $628K for sidewalk trail

Route from downtown to hospital piggybacks old railroad bed

By DAVID COLBURN

News editor

Walkers and bike riders in Hillsboro can look forward to another recreation route coming in 2019, thanks to a $628,000 grant Kansas Department of Transportation grant.

“This one gives us another way of getting people on a path walking that is a little bit different,” city administrator Larry Paine said. “Over the course of time we’ve had people wanting us to figure out how to do some more walking paths that are not in the middle of a street.”

The route will make use of old railway right of way, going from downtown to Adams St. After a small jog, it will continue to Industrial Rd., ending by Hillsboro Community Hospital.

The 8-foot wide concrete path will be wide enough to easily accommodate walkers and bikers at the same time, Paine said. There likely will not be a designated bike lane, which means bicyclists will need to verbally warn walkers ahead of their approach.

The section from Adams St. to Industrial Rd. will be lighted, giving walkers a safer option for early morning and late evening jaunts.

“In the summertime people can walk out there when it’s cooler,” Paine said. “It won’t be walking in the dark so you won’t trip on something. You’ll be able to see people coming and going on the trail. It adds safety and security to it.”

The path also offers health benefits beyond exercise.

“I think that there are going to be people that will use the path to walk or ride to the clinic for their doctor’s appointment,” Paine said. “It addresses a healthy living need within the community.”

Paul Stoner of EBH Engineering in Neodasha alerted the city to the grant opportunity.

“He was the guy who helped us through the Safe Routes to School application as well,” Paine said. “He came to us and said this grant wass available and had the feeling not too many people would be interested.”

Paine said construction should begin by spring 2019 and be finished before the end of the summer.