A project to overlay 24th Avenue between Prairie Street and Industrial Road was approved by city commissioners at their regular meeting Wednesday afternoon.
The overlay project, which is not to exceed $75,828, will take place before the winter months set in because of the severe deterioration of the surface and the shoulders of the road. The fix is intended to last three to five years, long enough to keep it operational until it can be rebuilt as part of a possible federally funded street improvement project in 2013.
“Looking at it from a road-performance issue, it’s my assessment of what we’ve got out there that if we don’t do some things pretty shortly, we’re going to have some real problems this winter with moisture ...,” said city engineer Mike Novak.
To pay for the project, which will be completed by APAC-Kansas, Inc. Shears Division, commissioners looked at several options. The first option would be to use money from the special streets fund, which has an ending balance of $179,199 for fiscal year 2009. A second option would be to use money from the multi-year fund, from which certain projects would have to be removed to cover the costs. The third option would be to delay the project.
“I’m not sure (24th Avenue) will make it through this coming winter,” Novak said.
City manager Matt Zimmerman said the city could attempt to patch the road, but there is not enough city staff and equipment to fix the base and the surface.
“We don’t have the crews to do that, so we would literally be patching every day,” Zimmerman said. “We need to get in there and give it the three- to five-year fix and hope that the base holds together or continue to patch it, patch it, patch it.”
Commissioner Julie Johnson said she thought about voting against the project, but after driving on the street, she changed her mind when she saw cars driving left of center to avoid rough spots on the shoulders.
The commission voted 5-0 to approve the project, which is to be completed in the next four weeks.
Commissioners also awarded a bid in the amount of $2,393,700 to UCI of Wichita for improvements at the water treatment plant. The original cost estimate was about $1.8 million, but city commissioners learned in October that the lowest bid received, from UCI, was $2,797,000.
Engineering staff worked with UCI to cut certain parts of the project to winnow the amount down to $2,393,700. Last spring, the project qualified for $360,000 in stimulus money from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.
“This is not an easy decision to make because it is a significant amount of money,” said Johnson. “But the work needs to be done. ...”
The commission voted 4-0-1 on the bid, with Commissioner Jim Kessler abstaining.
In other business, commissioners:
• Proclaimed Nov. 11 as Veterans Day in Emporia.
• Appointed Commissioner Kessler to the Emporia Community Foundation.
Comments
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Posted by gg (anonymous) on November 5, 2009 at 12:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Use the million+ dollars the city council is throwing away on artificial turf at the high school to fix 24th Street right. What a bunch of idiots we have running this city.
Another example, is the intersection at 15th and Graphic Arts Road, the citizens of Emporia overwhelmingly wanted to make a left turn available at that intersection. What did the city council do? Yepper, right turn only!
Posted by madpoet (anonymous) on November 5, 2009 at 2:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The city thought they could get Lowes to pay for that road and when that fizzled they were left holding the bag. Great foresight not to have a plan B! At least Johnson did go to the trouble to drive down it to check it out. Too bad they don't use 15th & Graphic Arts or they may have voted a left turn for it. That intersection was the biggest snafu of the year!
Posted by bloomsbury (anonymous) on November 5, 2009 at 2:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Oh gawd, another typical project…they’ll get started, work like hell to make the road impassable, then slow down to a few hours a day, then stop work entirely when the bad weather “surprises” them. How long, really, has it been since one could drive from 6th street (hwy 50) to the high school on Graphic Arts Road? It’s only a matter of a handful of blocks and it has been in chaos for what, 2 years? Even the part that is “finished” is a mess, where it connects to 15th; I believe it is, where you can only turn in one direction on the “new” road because of poor planning. Now the intersection with the highway is closed. I just wish they would plan these things out properly to begin with and then hold the contractors feet to the fire about finishing on budget and on time. Now let’s start on 24th street even though Graphic Arts still isn’t finished. Oy, vey! Here we go again.
Posted by oh4theluvof (anonymous) on November 5, 2009 at 2:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)
They built the bridge too high to allow visibility of oncoming traffic for a left turn onto Graphic Arts. They didn't figure that out until the bridge was done and there were accidents because of the lack of visibility. There is no way to correct that planning oversight without major road reconstruction. They had to change it the best (and cheapest) way they could after the engineering oversight had already been constructed. The only two options were 1) close that stretch of 15th completely or 2) right turn only onto Graphic Arts but still leave 15th open to traffic coming onto 15th and turning right onto Graphic Arts.
I guess maybe they could have put a stop sign on the very top of the bridge for southbound traffic (like the one at 18th and Rural) to allow those left turns, but then people would've complained about the bottleneck of traffic on Graphic Arts. Most of the drivers in Emporia don't understand the 18th and Rural one anyway but it sees much less traffic.
Posted by gg (anonymous) on November 5, 2009 at 2:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Do not forget the disaster of the $50 million dollar boondoggle (rat maze) the turnpike interchange turned out to be!
Posted by oh4theluvof (anonymous) on November 5, 2009 at 2:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)
My response was to these two quotes:
"....the citizens of Emporia overwhelmingly wanted to make a left turn available...."
and
"Too bad they don't use 15th & Graphic Arts or they may have voted a left turn for it."
In a nutshell, a left turn was no longer a safe or vialble option no matter how many people thought they wanted it or if the CC's use it.
Posted by giggles (anonymous) on November 5, 2009 at 4:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm not saying we can change the 15th and Graphic Arts intersection now, but who was supposed to have the foresight to prevent it in the first place. These types of situations are foreseeable, and are part of an engineer's job. Too bad we don't have any who can accomplish this...
Posted by HenryVIII (anonymous) on November 5, 2009 at 5:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I think the money for the turf has to be used to improve the school in some manner.
I like the roundabouts and turnpike interchange. They work well in my opinion. A box o' rocks could navigate them!
I never go around 15th and Graphic Arts...what's over there anyway?
Let's all cry about the city fixing stuff! Ignorance thrives in Emporia! Would you rather have a bunch of busted-down roads full of pot-holes? Emporia is on moving towards the future; if you can't keep up, get out of the way!
'enry
Posted by methusla (anonymous) on November 5, 2009 at 7:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Does anyone believe that Emporia needs an " Oversight Committee " to oversee the City of Emporias governing body and its satelites, planning, zoning, etc., to make sure what is done with the taxpayers money is correct, right and needed !
If the City of Emporia already has an " Oversight Commitee ", it is either not a good one or doesn' t know what its job is !
Sometimes government needs to be governed !
Posted by methusla (anonymous) on November 5, 2009 at 7:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)
24th avenue is not the only street in Emporia that is in dire need of repair !
And why is it that most street work is started at the onset of the worst weather season of the year ?
Posted by oh4theluvof (anonymous) on November 5, 2009 at 7:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)
True, methusla that 24th isn't the only one in need of repair, but I do agree with this particular fix. That road will be dangerous come spring if it continues on. With all the extra traffic that it was never intended to handle that it has had to bear as a detour route during the year and a half of Graphic Arts bridge construction and now during the Industrial construction, it has aged rapidly. It will need curbing in time, but for now, this will keep it safe. I am just hoping that it does not overlap with the Industrial St work or there could be a rough week or so of driving through work zones for anyone who needs to get to the Walmart area.
Posted by biscuitboy (anonymous) on November 6, 2009 at 6:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
methusla
These projects are often started at this time of the year because by now APAC-Shears has finished all of its more lucrative work from the summer and needs something to piddle around on through the winter to keep its key personnel employed.
An oversight committee is sorely needed but why would the powers that be consent to a group that might either interfere with their pet projects....or would just be another group to be bought and paid for?
Posted by custom (anonymous) on November 6, 2009 at 7:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)
ALRIGHT! We're gonna half ass something else.
Posted by Paccifier (anonymous) on November 6, 2009 at 7:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Methusla & biscuitboy, and anyone else. If you think the city staff and boards are so bad, why don't you get up and do something about it- The City Commission is taking volunteers for Planning & Zoning, Human Relations, and other boards. Have you put your name in? Methusla- you specifically were invited by the City Manager during the budget process this year, so, how about getting off the old computer chair and getting out and do something while you have the chance. It's a whole lot easier just to sit an gripe, or you can try to do something about it. We'll look for your names on the submission list
Posted by methusla (anonymous) on November 6, 2009 at 8:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Paccifer
The reason I don' t " Volunteer " is because at the last budget meeting I attended, I and others suggested ways to balance the Citys budget, by possibly eliminating unneeded and unnecessary expenditures and was pretty quickly shot down on some of my/our suggestions, by both the City Officials and those in attendance who have more influence and clout than I or most do !
So,. I will continue to set at my computer and gripe, complain and not volunteer, as it seems that the need for common sense is neither wanted nor needed by those in power !
Are you or have you volunteered or are you already a City Official !
Posted by methusla (anonymous) on November 6, 2009 at 8:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Paccifer
It is also pretty disheartening to want to get involved and make a difference and then realize that even if one does get involved, your efforts and time turn out to be absolutely useless anyway, except if you are one of the power elite, of which, I am not !
It is pretty obvious that the powers that be in Emporia are and do dictate City policy, etc.
Therefore those of us who lack influence and power, can only gripe and complain and hope that eventually we, will, someday, be heard and will make a difference !
Posted by mslater (anonymous) on November 6, 2009 at 8:37 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"If you think the city staff and boards are so bad, why don't you get up and do something about it"
Well, by jove, I think I will. My name should be on there.
Matt
Posted by Paccifier (anonymous) on November 6, 2009 at 9:05 a.m. (Suggest removal)
It is very easy to sit and type and make excuses to do nothing but gripe. You won't really know anything until you step up, put your name in, serve the three years if selected, and only then know for a fact that everything you claim is true or imagined. You also might just learn something too. It would be nice if so many people put in their names that there were more names than positions
Matt, Thanks for being willing to take the time.
Posted by oh4theluvof (anonymous) on November 6, 2009 at 9:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)
biscuitboy,
I don't really think that a basic overlay is going to take more than a couple of days, but I will be sure to check with my brother later today about that. Don't you worry, though. If this year is true to form, he and his co-workers will be finished with this job and back to their winter furlough, looking for temp work to pay their mortgages and feed their kids well before Christmas. Since this year's construction season started late (here in KS, anyway) and looks to be ending early, please don't begrudge him this one final job---after all, he would like to buy his kids a Christmas present or two.
(Please also pick up on the teasing tone in this rebuttal. I'm semi-serious in content, but good-natured in tone)
Posted by methusla (anonymous) on November 6, 2009 at 10:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Okay, Paccifier, I have done some soul searching and have convinced myself to get involved personally. My app. for a seat on the Emporia-Lyon County Metropolitan Area Planning Commission is in the mail !
I may learn some things and possibly, if the City and County reps are open minded enough, they may also learn some things.
Posted by madpoet (anonymous) on November 6, 2009 at 10:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Would it have been possible to install a turning light at 15th & Industrial? You know, one that only kicks on when someone is in that lane to stop the other traffic? It's like those right turn only islands downtown, people don't like to drive in areas where the have to go several blocks out of the way just to turn around. I agree 24th needs redone. I drove up it Halloween and it's crumbling from all the extra traffic it's seen lately. I just think a little more careful planning is needed on these projects to avoid wasting money and engineering snafus.
Posted by biscuitboy (anonymous) on November 6, 2009 at 12:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)
oh4theluvof......
Sorry for stepping on your brother's toes (and I do accept the spirit of your comments). :-)
It is however true that construction companies like to have some jobs that they can piddle at through the winter to keep key personnel from straying to far from home. And though this year may have been an exception ....and this job might be done quickly....this is often the type of job they look at for just that purpose.
Hope your brother....and all the other unemployed people right now.....can get through with as little suffering as possible. If nothing else it sure makes me thankful that I still have a job.
Posted by HenryVIII (anonymous) on November 6, 2009 at 2:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I accidentally stepped on a brother's toes once. He then stepped on my face...with his fists...
I can't blame him, though. If my shoes were that white, I'd be disgruntled too...
'enry
Posted by Paccifier (anonymous) on November 6, 2009 at 3:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Methusla; Glad you turned it in
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