By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
The first work session of the year for the Hays city commission lasted just 15 minutes Thursday night. The agenda items that were approved to move on for commission action will impact the city for years to come.
Among projects discussed by commissioners were a final plat for Heart of America Third Addition to give more property for a proposed development in east Hays.
According to Jesse Rohr, director of public works, there are two parties in the early stages of development projects and have requested some adjustments to the lots to make them more desirable for their development plans.
Another project involves reconstruction on Vine Street, this time at the south end.
In 2019, the city was awarded a $1 million grant from the Kansas Dept. of Transportation (KDOT) City Connecting Link Improvement Program (CCLIP) to help fund the cost to reconstruct the pavement on Vine south of 13th Street.
Kaw Valley Engineers was hired by the city in 2020 to design the project. KDOT let the project and opened bids on December 15, 2021.
Only one bid was received, from Smoky Hill Construction, Salina, for $3.5 million. It's the same company that was hired for the north Vine Street project and traffic roundabouts.
Because Vine Street is also U.S. Highway 183, KDOT will be administering the construction as required by the Federal Highway Administration (FHA).
Mayor Sandy Jacobs asked John Braun, city project manager, if there was any concern about a single bid.
"A lot of the contractors I've been talking are saying they've got more work than they can do. ... I think that's the case here too," Braun said.
The bid from Smoky Hill is less than what the city of Hays budgeted several years back.
"It's a good bid," Braun said, "and a good contractor. We're happy that they bid on this contract, but, yeah, everybody's got more than enough work to do."
Jacobs is also happy that Smoky Hill got the contract.
"I think we're just exceptionally pleased with everything I'm aware of on that whole process of them finishing (the north Vine Street project) ahead of time, which is huge. I'm really impressed with that company, as I've heard from a lot of people in the community. They were glad as well."
"We should point out it was about $200,000 under budget," added Shaun Musil, commissioner.
The city's cost share of the project is $2.7 million to be paid out of city commission capital reserve.
Construction will begin project this spring and be completed within 115 working days.
The project includes replacement of the concrete pavement, select areas of curb and gutter, sidewalk ramps, new pedestrian crossings at 8th Street, storm sewer inlet tops, and pavement markings.
The work will begin at the south city limit, which includes the intersection of Vine Street and the US-183 bypass and proceeds north to approximately 350 feet south of the intersection of 13th and Vine, near McDonald's restaurant.