By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
Following a two-year reconstruction of north Vine Street in Hays, 2022 will be the year for reconstruction of south Vine Street.
This project, however, is smaller and does not include traffic roundabouts.
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. The bid from Smoky Hill is less than what the city of Hays budgeted several years back.
Because Vine Street is also U.S. Highway 183, KDOT will be administering the construction as required by the Federal Highway Administration (FHA).
The city's cost share of approximately $2.8 million will be funded from city commission capital reserve. Commissioner Sandy Jacobs pointed out the city will pay cash.
"Because of staff, the way we manage our budget in the city of Hays, we're paying cash for another large project. I think that's really important for the citizens to understand," Jacobs said.
According to Collin Bielser, asst. city manager, paying cash instead of issuing bonds for large capital projects is unusual, and Hays is believed to the only city in Kansas to do so.
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.
John Braun, Hays project manager, told city commissioners Thursday night that no businesses will lose traffic access to their establishments.
"They're going to reconstruct the center lanes first. So traffic will be on the outside lanes going north and south," Braun said. "Typical of other projects, left turns will be severely reduced if not eliminated. Side streets will be right in and right out. The businesses will be right in, right out."
Intersections will remain open, including 8th Street and the bypass.
The work will be done in several phases, and the public will be alerted to upcoming traffic changes as was done during the north Vine reconstruction.
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.
Construction will begin sometime between March 14 and May 9 and be completed within 115 working days.
In other business, commissioners unanimously approved the final plat for Heart of America 3rd Addition to give more property for a proposed development in east Hays near Commerce Parkway.
A final plat of El Charro Addition, 2010 and 2020 E. 8th Street, was also approved. It will allow the property to be divided into four separate lots. Located within the Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ) of three miles outside the city limits, there are three apartment buildings and a convenience store on the site.
The January 10 meeting began with the swearing in by city clerk Brenda Kitchen of the three commissioners elected in November, incumbents Sandy Jacobs and Shaun Musil, as well as newcomer Reese Barrick.
The ceremony was followed by reorganization of the governing body. Mason Ruder was appointed the new mayor and Michael Berges was appointed vice-mayor.
