Road work related to the Flint Hills Crossing Development could begin by late next month.
According to City Engineer Jim Ubert, the contract for the construction of a new roundabout directly north of the US Highway 50 roundabout leading to the crossings development, specifically the QuikTrip location that will be housed there, will have a two-week start window between the last full week of November and the first week of December. Once that work commences Ubert says it should take roughly six months to complete, however, given the season the contractor has accounted for potential weather delays.
With that in mind, Ubert says the work could potentially last seven months. As for impacts to traffic during the construction process, Ubert says they should be minimal.
Ubert says there will be infrastructure work, namely water and sewer line relocations, that occurs before the roundabout construction begins.
The roundabout was deemed a necessity earlier this year after the Kansas Department of Transportation updated its right-of-way policies and expressed concerns about disruptions to traffic on both Interstate 35 and US Highway 50 as a result of the Emporia Crossings development.
As for when site work on the crossing and QuikTrip facility itself will begin, Ubert says the contractor wanted the work to run concurrently with the roundabout construction, however, he says it will likely be staggered.
The Emporia QuikTrip location will encompass nearly 9,000 square feet and will be one of the company’s largest constructed buildings as part of its remote travel location program.
