Shawnee County Parks and Recreation has received funding to connect its trails, a move that has been a priority of the department for the past few years. In addition, the city of Topeka will work on a dozen projects as both entities work to increase trail accessibility.
Shawnee County received a $696,296 grant that will fund an expansion of the Deer Creek Trail Robinson Extension. The soon-to-be constructed trail will start at S.E. 25th Street at Dornwood Park and run to S.E. 29th Street.
Topeka received $1.2 million to construct Phase IV of the Topeka Bikeways Master Plan/Fast-Track 2020 update. That grant covers 12 projects, including a reduction of vehicle lanes to add bike lanes on the Kansas Avenue Bridge between N.E. Laurent and S.E. 1st Street.