City of Abilene Awarded Geometric Improvement Funding

City of Abilene Awarded Geometric Improvement Funding

Project will Upgrade 14th and Buckeye Intersection 

The Kansas Department of Transportation recently announced that the City of Abilene is one of nine projects throughout Kansas to receive funding under the Geometric Improvement Program. The program provides 90% matching funding for improvements to municipal streets that carry a state highway designation.

The City of Abilene will receive up to $500,000 for a Geometric Improvement Project that will upgrade the intersection of 14th Street and Buckeye Avenue (K-15) to better accommodate vehicle and pedestrian movements that will be affected by recent school facility improvements along the 14th Street corridor and surrounding area. The total cost of the project is estimated at $627,000.

“The City of Abilene is very fortunate to receive funding for another Geometric Improvement project,” says Mayor Dennis Weishaar. “The school improvements being made near the 14th Street corridor necessitates the proposed intersection  improvements to provide safer and more efficient transportation access to the community.”

The Kansas Department of Transportation awarded $6.6 million for Geometric Improvement Project requests for State Fiscal Year 2018. The total estimated cost of the awarded projects is a little over $8.0 million.

“The City received $900,000 from KDOT for the First and Buckeye Intersection Project in 2013, so this recent award will bring the total amount of KDOT Geometric Improvement funds awarded to Abilene to $1.4 million,” says City Manager David Dillner. Total project costs, including local contributions, for both of these projects will be in the neighborhood of $1.6 million. For comparison, the City of Abilene receives about $1.2 million in annual sales tax receipts.

Using KDOT funds allows the City to leverage local funds to allow the construction of larger, more complex projects that would not otherwise be possible without a tax increase or a reduction in other municipal services. The 14th and Buckeye Geometric Improvement Project is anticipated to be let to bid in December 2017.

The City is also planning a future local project that would improve 14th Street from Buckeye Avenue west to Mulberry Street. The local project would enhance the existing outside two lanes of the four-lane corridor and also provide pedestrian access on the south side of 14th Street. The City anticipates moving forward with this complimentary project in the next few years.

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