By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

The 2012 Comprehensive Plan Update identified 13th Street from Main Street to Milner as an entry corridor to downtown that needs improvement.

Hays City Commissioners voted 4-1 Thursday night to authorize solicitation of engineering design services for street reconstruction, storm sewer improvements, water service upgrades, and the following five alternates:

A – Additional Curb, Sidewalk & Parking $204,000
B – Brick Street from Main to Oak $150,480
C – Brick Crosswalks at all intersections $13,500
E – Monument Sign $10,200
G – Decorative Street Lights $142,200

Although he dislikes some of the alternate designs and voted against the measure, Mayor Henry Schwaller described the section of 13th Street as “shot” and pointed out it has not been upgraded since the 1970s:

The base bid cost, including engineering, is $1,498,208, for which the city has budgeted $1.5 million. It would replace only driving lanes and intersections, leaving most parking, curb and sidewalk in place. A 5-foot-wide bike lane would be placed on both sides of the street.

An additional $302,198 would be required for the storm sewer improvements and would be funded from the stormwater management fund. The preliminary cost estimate to upgrade water services is $39,688, which would come from the water/sewer capital fund.