By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

City staff from Hays met last month with Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) officials in Topeka regarding the North Vine Street Corridor Project.

The project is complicated by the $6 million federal BUILD Grant funds involved and that U.S. Highway 183 [Vine Street] is a federal highway controlled by KDOT.

Preliminary design work for traffic roundabouts at 32nd/33rd, 37th, and 41st Streets, plus a partial tear drop roundabout at the eastbound exit of Interstate 70 have been underway for the past year.

According to Jacob Wood, assistant Hays city manager, KDOT will act as the pass-through agency, by letting and managing the improvements.

City Project Manager John Braun will update the city commission tonight on the current status of the project as well as the planned schedule and procedures moving forward.

Braun will also present proposed bid awards for the 2019 Street Maintenance Projects, a total of $618,456.39.

This year’s work includes seal coat, asphalt rejuvenator, microsurfacing, diamond grinding, curb and brick repair, major rehab of Ash Street from 23rd to 27th, and shoulders along portions of 8th Street and Old Highway 40 east of Vine Street.

Commissioners will also hear a proposed annexation of property at Highway 183 Bypass and West 33rd Street. Because it is noncontiguous to the city limits, the Ellis County Commission had to also approve the request, which is has done.

The complete Feb. 7 agenda is available here.

The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. in Hays City Hall, 1507 Main.