The city of Parsons likely will apply for a grant that would add lighting and concrete to much of the trail in Tolen Creek Park while also extending the path.
During a Thursday afternoon work session, the Parsons City Commission gave its approval for the city staff to prepare an application for a Kansas Department of Transportation grant through the agency’s Transportation Alternatives Program.
The grant would be used to pave the portion of the gravel trail that begins on Cattle Drive and follows the west side of the park to underneath the U.S. 400 bridge continuing northwest to near Union Road. From where the trail turns back east, the trail would be branched off to the north a short distance to Union Road and then extend west along the road to North 16th Street (U.S. 59). The existing part of the trail is gravel but would be converted to concrete as well as widened from 8 feet to 10 feet to comply with KDOT standards.
The project also would add solar lighting every 100 feet along the improved and extended portions of the trail.
City Manager Debbie Lamb said KDOT now has a short turnaround from the time funding is announced to the deadline to apply, so she would need approval to apply from the commission during its Tuesday evening meeting. The commissioners on Thursday gave their consent to continue working on the application so they can consider it Tuesday.
“I see this as a really good project,” Mayor Kevin Cruse said. “I don’t see any problem with moving forward.”
(Read more: Parsons Sun)