An improvement package for the 47th Street
corridor in south Wichita is not a tough sell. When a study of the situation was
completed seven years ago, a common public comment was “OK, let’s do it. When
can you start?”
Well, transportation projects just don’t happen like that –
have a study, identify a solution, turn over dirt the next day. But recently, a
final design for the I-135/47th St. Interchange, improvements to the
47th & Broadway intersection and access solutions along 47th
St. was completed.
At a public meeting on February 19, these comments were heard:
·
“Looks great – this will be a tremendous
improvement.”
·
“We appreciate the diligence on keeping this
project moving along.”
·
“OK, let’s do it – when can you start?”
Financing this project, as with all new projects in Kansas
lately, has been the stickler. After a fantastic ten-year Comprehensive
Transportation Program, the current economic situation has not been conducive
to adding new projects to the State’s financial pickle.
But along comes the American Recovery & Reinvestment
Act. On February 20, Lt. Gov. Mark Parkinson and KDOT Sec. Deb Miller announced
that the 47th St. project is one of four ready-to-go major projects
for the State of Kansas. Specifically, they identified $23 million for the reconstruction
and upgrade of the interchange to remove the bottleneck and to provide a link
to an underutilized area (read: economic development).
“OK, let’s do it – when can you start?”
The plan now is for the City of Wichita to acquire the necessary
right-of-way and to have utility companies move their hardware if it is in the
construction zone. In the mean time, KDOT’s road design team will continue
their work with a consultant to iron out the last details of the construction
process. If everything goes along without a hitch, the project may be let in
June (bids from contractors will be opened). A few weeks after that, a contract
could be signed and the dirt could be turned.
OK, let’s do it – now we can start!