An 800-foot section of U.S. 54 on the east side of Iola will receive a full-depth replacement from KDOT as a part of their larger U.S. 54 project.
The Iola City Council held a special public meeting at the Creitz Recital Hall in the Bowlus Monday night, immediately following the joint EMS meeting with the Allen County Commission. The meeting was held to re-evaluate the decision made by the city council on Feb. 25 to not move forward with the construction.
“I can’t stress how important the project is, especially in consideration of the taxpayers,” Assistant City Administrator Corey Schinstock said.
The Kansas Department of Transportation will pay 75 percent of the cost, and the city will pay 25 percent out of a fund provided by the state for road construction. Essentially, taxpayers will not pay a dime for the construction cost.
Larry Macha, owner of Jump Start Travel Center, is one of the businesses that will be affected by the construction. Macha asked the council to request the construction in front of his business be done either in the first or in the last of the schedule, in order to limit any access issues to the shortest time possible.
Schinstock agreed, saying the contractor will want to finish that section as quickly as possible.
“That is going to be the biggest headache for them (the contractor), is dealing with the driveways out there,” Schinstock said.
The bidding for the project is set for sometime this month. The first phase, which includes the U.S. 169/U.S. 54 intersection, has a completion deadline of Aug. 1.
The vote tallied at a 6-0 decision, council members Beverly Franklin and David Toland were not present during the meeting.
U.S. 54 replacement will include east Iola
