By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
Hays City Commissioner Lance Jones finds one-way streets “confusing.”
“I’m not a fan of one-way streets, especially if they’re wide enough to drive two ways,” Jones said during the Thursday night commission work session.
He had asked commissioners to discuss the possibility of changing Sixth and Seventh Streets in south Hays from one-way to two-way streets.
City Manager Toby Dougherty said he found commission minutes from the 1990s that may explain why those two streets were originally designated one-way.
During the 1950s, Eighth Street was the highway through Hays. Students traveling to and from the Fort Hays State University campus could drive on Sixth and Seventh, avoiding the busy highway traffic on Eighth Street.
“Sixth Street still provides a really good one-way exit from campus after games and events at the Beach-Schmidt Performing Arts Center,” Dougherty said. “It’s a quick way to disperse traffic.”
Sixth Street is narrower than Seventh Street. City staff has determined that Seventh could handle two-way traffic with no issues, but changing Sixth Street to two-way traffic would require eliminating parking on one side of the street.
Commissioners agreed to study the issue further at another work session and also want input from the public about the possible change.
In other business, commissioners heard a memorandum to amend a contract with HDR, the city’s owner-representative for the wastewater treatment plant reconstruction project. The change is a requirement in order to pursue state revolving loan funds (SRF), explained City Finance Director Kim Rupp. “There is no legal or financial consideration,” Rupp said.
The commission will also consider a resolution authorizing Dougherty to sign forms for the SRF at next week’s regular meeting. They’ll also consider setting August 13 as the day to hold a public hearing for the wastewater facility plan. The project is estimated to cost about $30 million and must be completed by 2018.
Interim Public Works Director John Braun presented information about the Tallgrass Addition Phase 5 Benefit District in east Hays. Construction bids are higher than the engineer’s estimate. Braun said the developer wants to proceed with the project.
Braun also presented updates about three vehicle abatement cases. The vehicles are “inoperable and no progress has been made by the owners,” Braun reported.
Commissioners went into a 10-minute executive session with Dougherty and City Attorney John Bird to discuss litigation against the city.
No action was taken following the executive session.
Commissioner Henry Schwaller was absent from Thursday night’s work session.