By NICK BUDD
Hays Post

At the Hays City Commission on Thursday, commissioners agreed to a contract with the Kansas Department of Transportation that will fund the Bike Hays plan.

According to assistant city manager Paul Briseno, KDOT will fund 60 percent of the construction and inspection of the new bike lanes and levee trail, which is estimated at $589,800. The city will be responsible for the remaining 40 percent, which equals $393,200, which will come from the special parks and stormwater funds. The next step in the plan will be a KDOT bid process.

“The reason that KDOT is bidding this project is because they are doing the lion’s share of monies for this,” Commissioner Ron Mellick said. “There’s no way we can bid this out.”

Mayor Henry Schwaller said that there are various benefits that come with allowing KDOT to bid the project.

“We’ve really not had any problems with them bidding or managing the process in past projects,” Schwaller said.

A request for bids will be sent out in late summer or early fall of this year.