Landplan Engineering was retained to provide design, construction documentation and engineering services for the first phase of the Prairie Spirit Trail. This 18-mile segment of a planned 60-mile trail begins in Richmond, Kansas and ends in Welda.

Situated on an abandoned railroad right-of-way, the trail was designed for a 12-foot wide, crushed limestone screenings surface. Design features include trailheads at Richmond and Welda, remote restroom locations along the trail, and trail access controls constructed of telephone poles salvaged along the trail corridor. Site improvements around a historic railroad depot in Garnett were developed to provide parking, picnic facilities, and rest areas. Through the City of Garnett, the trail was designed for an asphalt surface.

Landplan Engineering’s services included surveying, preliminary design alternatives, cost estimation, facilitation of public input, design development, construction documentation, and assistance with bidding. The approximately $1.1 million Phase I opened to the public in early April 1996.