Newton sand creek bike path extension

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) awarded the Kansas Department of Transportation $280,000 on August 6, 2025, under the Highway Planning and Construction program (CFDA 20.205) to construct the Newton Sand Creek Bike Path Extension. The project delivers 1.1 miles of a 10-foot-wide paved shared-use path extending from the Sand Creek Dam to Southwest 14th Street in Newton, Kansas, along the west bank of Sand Creek. The scope includes 755 feet of retaining wall, two pedestrian bridges, 1,200 feet of fencing, and two covered timber bridge-type structures with metal roofing (approximately 70 feet each) constructed within the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad right-of-way beneath a railroad trestle. The completed path connects to an existing path segment south of West First Street, enhancing multimodal pedestrian and bicycle connectivity within the community.

The City of Newton, awarded a sub-grant on November 24, 2025, serves as the sub-grantee implementing the Sand Creek bike path project. This award exemplifies the Highway Planning and Construction program's support for bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure improvements, which are eligible activities under the Federal-aid Highway Program authorized by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, designed to enhance safety and multimodal transportation network connectivity at the local level.

Project description

Scope: sand creek bike path extension: DAM to southwest 14TH. 1.1 mile 10-foot wide paved shared use path, 755 feet of retaining wall, two pedestrian bridges, 1,200 feet of fencing and two covered, treated-timber bridge-type structures with metal rooves approximately 70 feet in length in bnsf railroad right-of-way under railroad trestle location: newton: southwest 14TH street along the west bank of sand creek to connect with an existing path just south of west first street