Small Town News

Alma City Council holds Public Hearing to Introduce Downtown Streetscape Project

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Only a handful of people attended a public hearing designed to introduce and hear public comment on a Downtown Streetscape Improvement project for Alma. The meeting was called by the Alma City Council and held at the Alma Community Center last Tuesday evening.

The hearing was a follow-up meeting after the council made a $5,000 commitment in November to BG Consultants, Inc., to design and submit an application to Kansas Department of Transportation for the project.

If approved, KDOT will fund 80% of the cost of the construction of the project. Besides the remaining 20%, the City of Alma will be responsible for the engineering design and legal and administrative costs. BG Principal and Engineer Brian Kingsley shared images and information about the proposed project. An itemized listing of the proposed project indicated that the cost to provide new sidewalks and curbs, along with enhancements between 2nd Street and 4lh Street, will run $717,188.00. In addition to new sidewalks and curbs, the enhancement portion of the project would include limestone park benches (6 @ $12,000), limestone trash receptacles (6 @ $9,000) and limestone planters (12 @ $14,400). Additional enhancements would include pavers, or decorative inlaid bricks or native stone, in the crosswalks and in the sidewalks ($80,430).

One additional enhancement not included in the estimate is to install a structural glass sidewalk to serve as an observation area where below ground storefronts could be viewed through the glass. Those storefronts were abandoned in the early 1900s when sidewalks were installed over the stairwells. One prominent below ground storefront is located in front of the Alma City Office and Antique Emporium saying that the entire project may sound excessive, but when the council considered that KDOT will fund 80% of the construction costs it made the overall project more affordable to the city. Baker repeated that the 1 % sales tax will fund the project.

Baker also said that, if the city's project is selected for the grant, it is likely it will be two years before construction starts. He added that the council's intention is to put back around $40,000 each year during that period, from retailer's sales tax to reduce the amount due at the conclusion of the project.

Several of those attending the meeting expressed their approval of certain portions of the project in an attempt to give Kingsley direction on how to complete and submit the application to KDOT. The deadline for submitting the application is December 30, 2009, with announcements on successful applicants in February 2010. Funding for those successful applicants will be available in late 2011 or 2012.

At the conclusion of the hearing, Kingsley told the council he had the direction he needed to proceed with the application process.



Copyright 2009 The Wabaunsee County Signal-Enterprise, Alma, Kansas. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from SmallTownPapers, Inc.

© 2010 The Wabaunsee County Signal-Enterprise Alma, Kansas. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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