Grant awarded for sidewalks

The city of Fort Scott has been awarded a grant from the Kansas Department of Commerce for an approximately $250,000 project to build new sidewalks along a portion of Wall Street.

City officials learned earlier this week that the city has been awarded grant funds which will go toward installation of new sidewalks and other improvements on the south side of Wall Street from Margrave to Steen streets. In May, city commissioners approved submitting an application to the KDOC for Small Cities Community Development Block Grant Special Round funds.

City Manager Dave Martin said the project ties into continued improvements on Wall Street and a property improvement blitz organized by the Good Neighbor Action Team (GNAT) that took place in late May along the Wall Street corridor.

"I think it's great for Wall Street and it ties into that blitz that we did," Martin said. "There are a lot of kids and a lot of people who use those sidewalks. It's a heavily traveled area."

The estimated cost of $248,390 would pay for the construction of 4,110-feet of 4-inch concrete ADA-compliant sidewalks with ramps and detectable warning pavers in an area bounded by the south side of Wall Street from Margrave to Steen streets.