By KATHY HAGEMAN
Dickinson County Public Information coordinator
ABILENE - Dickinson County Commissioners signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the City of Abilene during their Thursday meeting regarding the development of the Northwest 14th Street corridor.
County and city officials have applied for a BASE grant to fund infrastructure improvements in the area, some of which are in city jurisdiction while others are in the county.
Kansas Governor Laura Kelly set aside $100 million in ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds for BASE (Building A Stronger Economy) grant funding to help support infrastructure development and advance economic development opportunities in Kansas. BASE grant funding – if awarded -- is based on a 75/25 basis, with grant monies picking up 75 percent of any project funded while local entities are responsible for 25 percent. However, County Administrator Brad Homman said the city/county were offering to provide 30 percent of the match with each entity providing 15 percent of the funding.
The grant application was due Monday.
“It’s a quick deal,” Homman said, speaking of the short window to submit grant applications.
The city/county application seeks funding to expand NW 14th Street to three lanes beginning west at Shady Lane, removing the curve where NW14th, Van Buren and Flag Road meet, turning it into a four-way intersection, and improving the intersection at Fair Road and NW 14th Street.
That improvement will also address flooding problems at NW 14th and Fair, putting in a box culvert on the north side of 14th, building up 14th so water won’t run over and diverting water to the north side where it has been running naturally, eventually ending up in Mud Creek.
The proposed project also includes a new road going north into the industrial park behind Russell Stover Candies and Love’s Travel Stop between NW 14th and Interstate 70, and a new frontage road, visible to those traveling I-70. Homman said the frontage road is a prime area for developers who want interstate exposure.
“The city and I agree that by putting that frontage road in there you could have businesses on the north and south and make it much more appealing,” Homman said. “And that new road would tie into Flag Road to circle around the Golden Belt (former Highlands housing development).”
The total project cost is estimated at approximately $13 million.
The county’s financial commitment to the grant, if awarded, would range somewhere around $1.8 million, depending on whether it is fully funded – which is unlikely.
Homman noted the prospects of receiving a grant are “something less than positive,” but also commented “if you don’t apply you get nothing.”
Commission Chairman Lynn Peterson asked if land would have to be purchased from private owners who live on the NW 14th and Van Buren curve to build a four-way intersection. Homman said a few feet may need to be purchased, but it would be minimal.
“When you look at this project I think it’s ideal. You’ve got city improvements, you’ve got county improvements, you’ve got drainage improvements, you’re improving an intersection we know is a problem on Old 40. We’re both getting quite a bit out of this for our matching funds,” he said.
“If we’re lucky enough to be funded that would be a very positive project for all of us,” Homman added.
Off system grant
In a somewhat related issue, Homman and commissioners agreed the county will apply for a Kansas Department of Transportation off system grant to help build a new bridge on NW 14th Street west of Emmanuel Church on Old 40 Highway. The county applied for an off system grant last year but it was not funded.
Homman said he had been contacted by Brady Hedstrom from the engineering firm BG Consultants who wanted to know if the county was interested in applying once again.
The Northwest 14th Street bridge is in county jurisdiction. While the bridge is in good condition, it is outdated by today’s standards and has no walkway for pedestrians. The bridge is narrow, creating a bottleneck situation particularly when large trucks cross the span.
It’s also a potential concern based on the amount of traffic that travels the road. That area of roadway is a main connection to the Russell Stover Candies plant, Love’s Travel Stop and other businesses located in the northwest portion of Abilene.
Also, with the potential of new development in the Golden Belt Heights housing subdivision (former Highlands) that could bring extra traffic, bikers and others needing to use the bridge.
Plus, that portion of Old 40 is the busiest section of road in Dickinson County, Homman said recently. That was verified again recently with a road sign traffic counter that sat next to the 14th Street bridge for several months in 2021.
Homman said he learned from John Gough, former county engineer, to apply over and over for KDOT grants and at some point, the agency will approve it.
“We may get denied again, but we may get it,” Homman said, explaining that additional wording will be added to the last year’s grant application incorporating information about the Northwest Corridor project and its importance to the schools, industry and plans for revitalization of the Golden Belt housing development.