$250k Grant Awarded to LSPR for Mouse Creek Trail Project
Lee’s Summit Parks and Recreation has been awarded a $250,000 Recreational Trails Program Grant for the future trail along Mouse Creek in south Lee’s Summit. The grant was given through the Missouri Natural Resources Division of State Parks. This is the largest amount LSPR has received for a local trail project.
The Mouse Creek Trail will consist of 1.2 miles of paved trail. It will feature a low-water crossing and a pre-cast truss bridge for stream crossing along the creek. The east trail segment will begin just north of Hook Road and Pryor Road and continue west to Eagle Creek Park and connect to existing trails. The trail improvements will then continue at the west end of Eagle Creek Park and continue onto undeveloped “Park West” property near Sampson Road in Lee’s Summit.
RTP grants are available to cities, counties, and not-for-profit organizations to be used to create motorized and non-motorized trails for recreational use. Thirty applications were received for the Fiscal Year 2023, with funding requests totaling over $5.8 million. Seven of those thirty applicants were approved by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) for grant assistance.
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is an agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation that supports State and local governments in the design, construction, and maintenance of the Nation’s highway system (Federal Aid Highway Program) and various federally and tribal-owned lands (Federal Lands Highway Program).
Steve Casey, LSPR Superintendent of Park Planning & Construction, shared, “We are very excited to receive this grant funding to continue to expand our trails system with local and regional trail development. Recreational trails are one of the top amenities we provide our community. This is a key segment that will provide local bike and pedestrian connections in a rapidly growing area of Lee’s Summit. It is also an important regional connection that will link to the Rock Island Trail and the statewide Katy Trail in the future. Mouse Creek is also a key corridor to protect with stormwater management and wildlife habitat.”
Upon completion of final design, engineering, and permitting, LSPR anticipates starting construction in late 2024 or early 2025.