By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
Hays city commissioners questioned the safety of shortening the upcoming East 13th Street widening project during Thursday's work session.
Commissioner Shaun Musil asked Public Works Director Jesse Rohr whether the traffic increase for the new Hays High and Middle Schools under construction is a concern.
The entire project is a reconstruction of 13th between Canterbury Drive and Commerce Parkway.
Initially, the street was to be widened to three lanes from Canterbury to Commerce, but the sole project bid was $500,000 over budget.
The project, funded by Hays cash capital reserves, Ellis County, USD 489 and a grant from the Kansas Department of Transportation, was slightly reduced and rebid.
APAC-Kansas, Hays, was again the sole bidder and was awarded the downsized project for $3.03 million.
The widening will now extend from Anthony Drive to Tallgrass Drive, with the easternmost end of 13th remaining two lanes to Commerce Parkway. An unneeded box culvert improvement was also eliminated. That put the city’s portion of the project at $2.26 million, $60,843 under the budget.
"We really have no [traffic] concerns," Rohr told Musil, "especially with 13th and Commerce intersection already having the three lanes running north and south. ... The eastbound side will be widened to three lanes to have a dedicated left-hand turn lane."
"We're hoping people will find a better way to get to the schools rather than 13th and Canterbury, and we'll be promoting that."
City work includes reconstructing the road from Anthony Drive to Commerce Parkway, widening sections of East 13th Street from two to three lanes, installing a multi-use path along the north side of the entire project, and milling and overlaying the complete roadway.
USD 489 is responsible for adding two right-turn lanes, pedestrian crossings, and upgraded signals at 13th and Canterbury, which will cost $763,000.
The new high school is on target to open in August 2025, and the current high school, just to the west, will then be renovated as the new middle school.
Commissioners also discussed funding for the 27th and Main Street development project. Astra Bank is relocating and building a new facility on that site.
The city will pay 100% of the costs to construct the stormwater management infrastructure at the south end of the property and 50% of the costs to extend 26th Street through the development.
The $89,000 for the stormwater retention infrastructure will come from the stormwater reserve funds, and the city's 50% share of $205,000 for the street will come from the city's capital reserve cash funds.
Musil asked Rohr if the new development would worsen flooding concerns on 25th and 24th Streets at Main and Main Street Terrace.
"The retention infrastructure controls the rate water leaves the property, and it can't be greater than it is now," Rohr said.
Elevation and water retention engineering on the site also considers the potential development of housing and a retail center.
Access to the new bank will be from 26th Street.
The city of Hays has purchased 1100 Fort, the existing Astra Bank building, to redevelop it as a new police station and municipal court facility.
The commission discussed an ordinance that would establish a Reinvestment Housing Incentive District (RHID) and adopt a plan for the development of housing and public facilities at 10th and Walnut.
Hays developer Michael Graham Rentals is proposing to build 48 apartments on the site of the former railroad depot parking lot in downtown Hays.
The district is expected to generate about $1.1 million of revenue during its maximum 25-year term. This revenue would be used to reimburse the developer for an estimated $692,000 in RHID-eligible project costs on a pay-as-you-go basis. Collin Bielser, deputy city manager, said the RHID is expected to pay off in less than 25 years.
The commission also talked about funds for another development project in downtown Hays.
The Kansas Department of Commerce has awarded the city a $300,000 Commercial Rehabilitation Community Development Block Grant on behalf of Chestnut Suites at 1108 N. Main and Hays developer Adam Pray.
The former Hays State Bank building, which will be used for the $3.2 million project, was constructed in 1965 and has been vacant for 40 years.
Pray plans to redevelop the building into a new luxury short-term rental Airbnb location called Chestnut Suites with 24 to 26 rooms. The rooms will be designed similar to those of traditional hotels.
The funding proposals for all four development projects will be voted on at the Sept. 26 city commission meeting.
City Manager Toby Dougherty was absent from the work session.