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City Council Approves 10-Year, $12.5M Bike Plan

City of Wichita - Bicycle Master Plan

The Wichita City Council Tuesday approved the Bicycle Master Plan. It recommends ways to make bicycling easier, safer and more convenient in Wichita.

A 19-member steering committee worked on the plan for two years. More than 4,000 people participated in the planning process at various meetings and events.

At the council meeting, Scott Wadle of the city's planning department outlined some of the recommendations:

  • Development of a citywide network of on- and off-street bicycle facilities
  • Priorities for bicycle projects, including a 10-year priority bicycle network
  • Top 10 list for projects in street right-of-way
  • Top priority shared use path

Committee member Barry Carroll said there are many reasons why the plan would be beneficial to the city. It would:

  • Improve overall community health
  • Create jobs and spur economic development
  • Attract young professionals
  • Increase property values adjacent to bike paths
  • Provide commute opportunities
  • Provide a safe way to bike and walk for recreation 

The plan also recommends the creation of a bicycle and pedestrian advisory board, which the council approved.
Construction cost of the 10-year bicycle plan is estimated at $12.5 million. The city currently allocated $500,000 every other year for bicycle enhancement projects. They council anticipates they could use those funds to leverage an additional $10 million in federal funding over 10 years.

Carla Eckels is Director of Organizational Culture at KMUW. She produces and hosts the R&B and gospel show Soulsations and brings stories of race and culture to The Range with the monthly segment In the Mix. Carla was inducted into The Kansas African American Museum's Trailblazers Hall of Fame in 2020 for her work in broadcast/journalism.