Newton completes $12 million Sand Creek project

Last Update: 6/29 6:22 pm

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NEWTON, Kansas – After falling into an unsafe state of disrepair the Sand Creek Restoration Project if finally finished after 10 years of planning and construction.

A canoeist navigates his way down Sand Creek in Newton as bicyclists roll past on the path. They’re taking advantage of $12 million worth of improvements after a restoration project 10 years in the making.

“It’s just delightful seeing people riding their bikes and walking and talking and having a good time,” said resident Ted Ice.

The Sand Creek Corridor was first constructed in the 60’s to alleviate flooding issues in Newton. By the late 90’s erosion on the banks threatened the safety of anyone daring to walk down the paths as the soil under the concrete eroded into the creek.

“Because we had erosion and the creek banks were eroding into Sand Creek they told us we needed to start doing something to the corridor,” said City Engineer Suzanne Loomis. “So it started out as someone giving the mandate to you.”

Over the next few years progress moved about as rapidly as the water in Sand Creek and after federal funding was put in place, construction started last March.

The project renovated a two-mile stretch of the creek, lining the banks with 136 million pounds of quarry stone, installing 10,000 feet of retaining walls and planting over 1,500 trees and shrubs along with native grasses to help prevent future erosion and to give the creek a beautiful bucolic setting for residents.

“It’s going to benefit Newton greatly,” said resident John Nicodemus. “Individually I think it’s going to benefit me. I think it increases the value of my property being able to live here on the river and look at this gorgeous scene it is compared to what it was two years ago.”

And city leaders promise it will look even prettier in a couple more years as the tall native grasses and all the shrubs and trees have a chance to grow.

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