OSAGE CITY, Kan. – Osage City’s portion of the Flint Hills Nature Trail will be paved or surfaced after the Kansas Department of Transportation accepted a bid for constructing 2.5 miles of pedestrian and bicycle paths through town.

KDOT announced approved bids for state highway construction and maintenance projects from the Oct. 19, 2022, letting in Topeka, which included the Osage City rail-trail project.

The pedestrian and bicycle paths will mostly follow the Missouri Pacific Railroad right of way through town, with a detour to city streets at Fifth Street and Ninth Street. The route is along the old railway right of way from Osage City’s west city limit to Fifth Street, south to Holliday Street, east to Eighth Street, north to Lakin Street, east to Ninth Street, north to Missouri Pacific Railroad right of way, and east to the east city limit.

Bettis Asphalt & Construction Inc., Topeka, bid $1,847,358.60 for constructing the pedestrian and bicycle paths. KDOT’s project number is Osage‑70 TE‑0481‑01.