Emporia city commissioners appear ready to give their approval to add a pair of sidewalks in high-traffic areas of town, thanks to a presentation by Healthier Lyon County in conjunction with the Multi-Use Path Planning Board.
Healthier Lyon County and the MUPP Board are suggesting new sidewalks near the intersection of 12th and Burlingame and also along part of 24th between Lincoln and Jones Drive. Mayor Becky Smith says these areas could use the improvements.
Healthier Lyon County has targeted these areas as part of the Kansas Department of Transportation’s so-called Transportation Alternative program. The 12th and Burlingame project could cost around $125,000, with KDOT providing 80 percent and the city offering a 20-percent match or $25,000. The work along 24th could cost as much as $210,000 total. The city share, in that case, could be just under $41,000. Applications are due by May 13, with awards announced at some point this summer.
Commissioners also discussed so-called “common consumption areas,” an approach that has become popular in larger cities across Kansas and made its debut locally with the Halfway to Everywhere Music and Arts Festival last fall. Discussion went heavily into fencing policy, which currently has event owners using city-owned fence materials, and potentially having several tiers of overall policy depending on the size of the event.
During a brief action session that followed, commissioners approved a multi-million-dollar grant application to fund parking improvements and power line adjustments at Industrial Park 3 along with water and sewer line construction for the proposed Kretsinger Tract residential housing development. The total project amount is over $8.3 million, so the local 25-percent match needs to be over $2 million but city grant administrator Garrett Nordstrom says several outside entities are stepping forward to meet the match. Nordstrom says the city’s grant funding request would be for 25 percent or $2.1 million.
Funding would come from the American Rescue Plan Act through the Kansas Department of Commerce. The grant application deadline is Monday with word on the grant coming next month. If approved, construction would need to take place in 24 months but Nordstrom says the city could apply for an extension if needed.
