Bikers, joggers can go farther on this trail east of Wichita, thanks to this new bridge
The miles of rail-to-trail paths east of Wichita are on track to grow with the unveiling of a new bridge along the Redbud Trail on Friday.
It marks a decade of work turning abandoned railroad tracks into spaces for walking, biking and hiking and connects two Butler County cities.
The Andover section of the Redbud Trail runs six miles from 159th Street East — about a mile west of Andover — and used to dead-end at U.S. 54/400, about four miles east of the city. The trail originates inside Wichita at the I-135 canal route. Combined, the paths stretch nearly 16 miles.
Members of the Andover Augusta Rail Trail Initiative — which manages and improves portions of the Redbud Trail east of Andover, outside city limits — along with the mayors of Augusta and Andover, on Friday will unveil a new bridge at 11221 SW U.S. 54/400 Augusta. Once the last four miles of trail near Augusta are constructed, the two cities will be connected by the Redbud Trail.
“It’s the continuation of a longtime vision of completing the Redbud Trail from Andover to Augusta,” Craig Plank, the secretary of the Andover Augusta Rail Trail Initiative, said. “ … “We’re just now to the point where we’re going to be able to cross the highway and complete the rails-to-trail conversion.”
That means dog walkers, bikers and families will soon be able to walk, run or ride across the bridge to enjoy lunch, coffee or craft beer in the neighboring city.
The idea for a bridge crossing came about as members of the Andover Augusta Rail Trail Initiative — a group of advocates, developers and caretakers for Redbud Trail paths — worked to convert unused space in the form of the old BNSF rail line into designated areas for health, fitness and recreation.
To do so, the all-volunteer organization used a $3.29 million transportation alternative grant. As trail work and maintenance progressed, the nonprofit saw an opportunity for connection by bringing two communities together via a bridge across U.S. 54. Plank said along with the opportunity for relationship building between the two communities, the bridge can provide new prospects for commerce — restaurants, mom-and-pop shops, bars and more.
“Somebody can wake up on a Saturday morning in Augusta and grab the family and pop on the bicycles and ride to Andover for breakfast,” Plank said. “Or, you know, I can get on my bicycle and ride out there and go have a craft beer and turn around and come home — the opportunity for commerce.”
For the volunteers behind the project like Plank, Friday’s ribbon cutting marks not just the completion of a milestone, but the start of a new connection between the two cities.
“We look forward to bringing the trail to life, to connect the communities,” Plank said. “That’s what it’s really all about. This is legacy work. This is a project that will live on for generations.”
The bridge is now open for walkers, joggers and other commuters to experience and will be open for through traffic once the Augusta trail is completed. The group will be hosting a ribbon cutting ceremony at 4 p.m. Friday at the bridge site, near the APAC plant on eastbound U.S. 54/400. Volunteers will provide instructions for parking, trail and bridge access.
This story was originally published November 6, 2025 at 1:03 PM.
