Now that work is getting underway to widen Kansas Highway 99 or Commercial Street between Kansas Avenue and Soden Road over the next 5 months, City Engineer Jim Ubert has his eyes on several projects either underway now or coming by the end of the year.
Construction on Overlander Road is “in the homestretch,” moving from Phase 2 to Phase 3 last week.
The last phase of work will mean some traffic adjustments for businesses on the north side of Overlander.
Work should be done in September. Overlapping the end of work on Overlander are early processes to renovate DeBauge Family Sports Complex as part of a nearly $4 million project.
One new turf field is planned along with renovations to the current grass fields, restrooms and more. Ubert says conversations also continue with the state on how the city can help the process along.
Storm sewer repair on Commercial Street, especially south of the sinkhole that developed early this past spring near 10th and Commercial, is waiting until early next year. The question has been when to schedule the work while avoiding issues with the downtown event schedule.
Ubert says the construction to come will involve Commercial between 8th and 10th.
After the sinkhole developed in late March, in part due to a failure in a storm sewer box, underground research indicated more work was needed. The storm sewer that failed was installed at some time between 1091 and 1922.
People can get more information about city infrastructure projects, detours and other related matters at emporiaks.gov/livemap.
