By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
The city of Hays is readying its part in the upcoming traffic flow changes for the new high school to be built directly east of the current facility on east 13th Street.
The existing high school will be remodeled as the new Hays Middle School, resulting in more traffic on 13th Street between Canterbury Road and Commerce Parkway.
During last week's work session, city commissioners heard about a proposed design contract for street widening along with annexation and rezoning requests for the property at 2500 E. 13th.
The reconstruction and widening of 13th Street will be east of Anthony Drive to Commerce Parkway. This segment is currently maintained by Ellis County and is a two-lane arterial road, carrying about 3,500 vehicles per day, according to John Braun, Hays project manager.
"The project intent is to widen that narrow two-lane road out to a three-lane road and add some shoulders to the edges," Braun explained to the city commission.
Although concrete is now being used to build most city streets, Braun said the existing asphalt road is in good shape and will remain asphalt.
"We won't be tearing it up for reconstruction. ... That's how we can do this as a $2.5 million project instead of a $4 million project."
Staff solicited a single $120,000 proposal for design services from MKEC Engineering. The Overland Park group is already working with Hays USD 489 on the school improvements in the bond issue passed by voters last year.
Total estimated cost of the project is $2.5 million.
The city received a Kansas Department of Transportation cost share grant to cover $1.2 million of the cost. One million dollars for the city share is included in the capital improvement plan in the 2023 budget. Ellis County has budgeted $750,000 of participating funds.
An 8-foot wide multi-use path along the north side of the street, which will connect with the existing east multi-use path, will be constructed as part of the project.
Curtis Deines, planning and development superintendent, presented the property annexation request for the new high school and a rezoning request from agricultural to public institutional district.
In other business, proposed bid awards for a new airport snow removal equipment building and construction engineering were presented by Hays Regional Airport Director Jamie Salter.
Only one bid was received for the building, coming from RDH Electric & Construction, Hays, for $3.2 million and below the engineer's estimate. In answer to commission concerns about a single bid, Salter said the FAA has already vetted it.
The city’s airport engineering consultant, Burns and McDonnell, presented a $385,000 fee for required construction oversight and project documentation.
Both the construction bid and fee are eligible for a 90/10 cost split between the FAA and the city.
Commissioners also heard a proposed bid award of $321,000 from Mayer Specialty Services, Goddard, for 8,000 linear feet of sanitary sewer pipe lining.
Hays Finance Director Kim Rupp told commissioners water, sanitary sewer, storm sewer, and street improvements have been made in the King’s Gate 2nd Addition Improvement District previously created.
A public hearing will be held March 23 about the 22 homeowners' assessments which Rupp said will be $21,363 per lot.
All items will be voted on at Thursday's city commission meeting.
Commissioners Shaun Musil and Alaina Cunningham were absent from the work session.