2001
December
Osage City Council meeting minutes: Citizens request the city to consider working with the reorganized Horsemans Foundation to construct a trail on the former Mo-Pac railway right of way. (Scroll down to December 26, 2001):http://www.osagecity.com/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/101
2004
October
Osage City Council meeting minutes document 45 minutes devoted to slide presentation by trail project engineers, as well as public comments. (Scroll down to October 12, 2004):http://www.osagecity.com/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/12
Osage City Council meeting minutes: City Council unanimously passes resolution of support for the "MOPAC Trails Project." (Scroll down to October 26, 2004):
http://www.osagecity.com/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/12
Court case that also gives "factual background" of City Council approval of trail project (Scroll down to page 3):
http://www.kscourts.org/cases-and-opinions/opinions/CtApp/2012/20120907/106906.pdf
2005
May
KDOT letter accepting Osage City's proposed project to develop trail:http://www.osagecity.com/documentcenter/view/217
August
Osage City Parks and Recreation Board minutes: "The Hike and Bike Trail" is listed as #3 on a list of priorities the Park Board recommends for Capital Improvements. (Scroll down to August 18, 2005):http://www.osagecity.com/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/109
(Interesting observation: As of 04/24/2014, the date this blog post was written, both #1 (a new shelter house in Lincoln Park) and #2 (a public sign board) on this list of priorities from 2005 have come to pass. The trail has not.)
2006
January
Osage City Council meeting minutes: Council authorizes to begin trail project:http://www.osagecity.com/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/14
June
Osage City Parks and Recreation Board meeting minutes documents "trail project on schedule, estimated date of completion Fall 2007." (Scroll down to June 22, 2006):http://www.osagecity.com/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/67
2007
January
Osage City Council meeting minutes: Trail project manager and engineer address Osage City Council regarding proposed trail routes:http://www.osagecity.com/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/48
February
Osage City Council meeting minutes: Discussed route of proposed bike/hike trail:http://www.osagecity.com/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/46
April
Osage City Council meeting minutes: City Council member motioned to discontinue trail project and put it to vote by residents. Motion retracted due to lack of a second. A public hearing regarding the trail scheduled:http://www.osagecity.com/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/42
May
Osage City Council meeting minutes documenting 1-1/2 hours of public comments and discussion:http://www.osagecity.com/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/57
2008
June
Flint Hills Nature Trail at Vassar opened, to be extended to Osage City. (Scroll down to 9 June 2008): http://www.sunflowertrails.org/srt_news_2008.htmJuly
Cross county hikers using the Flint Hills Nature Trail as part of the American Discovery Trail stop in Osage City:http://www.och-c.com/topstories/2008/073108/073108hikers.html
October
Flint Hills Nature Trail bridge over Hwy 75: KDOT completes study. Commissioners put off plans to remove bridge:http://www.och-c.com/topstories/2008/100908/100908kdot.html
New pedestrian bridge over Hwy 75 in Osage County in the works. (Scroll down to 24 October 2008):
http://www.sunflowertrails.org/srt_news_2008.htm
2009
February
Bidding process, contract negotiations to begin for Osage City trail construction:http://www.och-c.com/topstories/2009/0219/021909osage.html
Osage City to develop trail within city limits:
- http://www.kansascyclist.com/news/2009/02/stimulus-may-help-fund-osage-city-trail-project/
- http://cjonline.com/stories/022809/lif_399481927.shtml
May
Osage City Council meeting minutes: City Council approves $120,000 for trail project:http://www.osagecity.com/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/193
2010
February
Osage County Flint Hills Nature Trail could serve as Army training grounds:http://www.och-c.com/topstories/2010/0204/020410trail.html
April
Bid approved for Hwy 75 pedestrian bridge:http://www.och-c.com/topstories/2010/0415/041510bridge.html
June
Hwy 75 bridge project begins:http://www.och-c.com/topstories/2010/0603/060310bridge.html
July
Hwy 75 pedestrian bridge project underway:http://www.och-c.com/topstories/2010/0729/072910bridge.html
November
Hwy 75 pedestrian bridge in place:http://www.och-c.com/topstories/2010/1125/112510bridge.html
2011
June
New pedestrian bridge over Hwy 75 opens route of Flint Hills Nature Trail through Osage County:http://www.och-c.com/topstories/2011/0616/061611trail.html
(And then, just 2 weeks later................)
Osage City Council kills trail project, throws away $289,000 already spent:
- http://www.och-c.com/topstories/2011/0707/070711osagecity.html
- http://www.och-c.com/topstories/2011/0721/072111trail.html
July
Osage City Chamber of Commence requests City Council to put the trail project to public vote before making the final decision to discard trail project:http://www.osagecity.com/documentcenter/view/1243
Pictures of trail and bridge over Hwy 75:
http://ochc.zenfolio.com/p558902985
August
Volunteers clean up trail in Osage City:- http://www.och-c.com/topstories/2011/0804/080411volunteers.html
- http://www.sunflowertrails.org/srt_news_2011.htm (Scroll down to Sept 2, 2011 and July 26, 2011)
November
Trail conditions as of November 2011:Click here
2012
A blogger's impression of the state of the trail within the Osage City limits (Hint: It's not a favorable one): http://alloutattack.com/bryanjackson/2012/01/nobody-walks-in-osage.html2013
March
Osage County Commissioners hear from trail opponent:http://www.osagecountyonline.com/archives/748
June
Federal grant sparks $2.4 million investment into Flint Hills Nature Trail:http://www.osagecountyonline.com/archives/2981
July
Hwy K-268 bridge to be replaced with box culvert for trail:http://www.och-c.com/?q=article/construction-projects-begin-us-75-k-268
November
Hwy K-268 reopened to traffic, trail box culvert completed:- http://www.osagecountyonline.com/archives/7833
- http://www.och-c.com/?q=article/k-268-reopened-traffic
Kanza Rail-Trail Conservancy annual meeting held in Osage City:
2014
April
Trail design workshop to be held in Osage City:- http://www.osagecountyonline.com/archives/9188
- http://www.jrn.com/kfdi/news/Final-rails-to-trails-workshop-to-be-held-in-Osage-City-255957401.html
- http://cjonline.com/news/local/2014-03-07/workshops-allow-public-give-input-flint-hills-nature-trail
Letter to the Editor in support of developing the trail through Osage City:
http://www.osagecountyonline.com/archives/9020#more-9020
Coverage of trail design workshop held in Osage City:
http://www.osagecountyonline.com/archives/9262
June
Osage City Council contemplates Safe Routes to School program funding, which dredges up discussion of the rejected trail project:http://www.och-c.com/?q=article%2Fsafe-routes-discussion-recalls-trail-rejection
July
Trail users volunteer time to clean up trail within city limits:http://just-keep-pedaling.blogspot.com/2014/07/cleaning-up-flint-hills-nature-trail.html
Osage City Council pounds the final nail in the coffin for paving trail within city limits and also rejects Safe Routes to School program, tells the state "No, we don't want your free money":
http://www.och-c.com/?q=article%2Fosage-city-shuts-down-trail-safe-routes
$1.9 million federal grant plots route for Flint Hills Nature Trail’s completion: http://www.osagecountyonline.com/archives/10890
