With all the construction projects underway now in Emporia, it may be hard to look ahead — but there is a major city-state project beginning this fall.
The annual City Connecting Link Improvement, or CCLIP, program will impact significant portions of Commercial and Merchant soon. Here’s City Engineer Jim Ubert:
Surface preservation is coming this fall on Commercial from the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad tracks north to 12th, as well as Merchant from 12th to Interstate 35. Geometric improvements on Commercial from Soden’s Grove to Kansas Avenue are tentatively set for fiscal 2026, or after next July.
This comes as the city is poised to bid infrastructure work on Flint Hills Crossing, the Quik Trip convenience store project near the southwest corner of 18th and Graphic Arts. Ubert says utility work could start by early winter, with drainage improvements to follow.
City staffers are deep into the annual Street Rehab project with over 25 work zones included. They are also into the Road F repaving and widening project between US Highway 50 and Road 180, as well as the 24th and Prairie waterline replacement project. The Kansas Department of Transportation is leading the Interstate 35 bridge replacement over Lincoln Street.
