Construction concerns addressed
Several local business owners came before the city council to express their concerns over the U.S. 54 project with the Kansas Department of Transportation, and it seemed to be enough to halt any decisions for the time being. SCHINSTOCK argued that no matter what decision is made, construction needs to be done on the section of road in front of the businesses.
City council members tabled any decision to move ahead with the KDOT project, due to concerns from local business owners and a lack of information.
“I don’t know how anyone can vote on this, without knowing how it is going to affect the businesses,” Robert Storrer, owner of Storrer Implement, said during Monday night’s meeting.
KDOT will be taking on a full-depth replacement of U.S. 54 east of the Iola city limits, through LaHarpe. City council members discussed in a previous meeting to link KDOT’s construction with an 800-foot section of the highway inside the city limits. The 800 feet would put construction in front of Storrer Implement, Jump Start Travel Center, Sterling Six Cinema and several other businesses.
Assistant City Administrator Corey Schinstock said while 75 percent of the project is paid by KDOT, and 25 percent by the city, the city’s portion would come through funds garnered through the state for road construction. Therefore, the project would not cost the city a dime.
The business owners saw a different cost.
“There is an economic impact, as it impacts us, it is going to impact the city,” said Larry Macha, owner of Jump Start.
The consensus among the owners was that construction is front of their businesses would be a substantial loss of clientele and support for a period of approximately three months — the time allotted for KDOT’s project.
Ken Gilpin, a representative from Community National Bank, said the construction can be devastating to a local business for such a length of time. He said similar road projects in Chanute caused a 50- to 70-percent reduction of sales to certain retailers.
Storrer’s concern is that no matter what sort of construction took place, he would have difficulty moving his heavy machinery and equipment in and out of his lot. He recommended more questions to be asked to KDOT on whether he would need alternate routes or even police assistance to flag routes on the highway.
As for Macha, he urged the council to wait on any decision to find more information on the project and to find any way possible to shorten the length of time for construction.
“I think the country is going through some of the toughest times we’ve ever seen,” Macha said. “I know we are going through tough economic times.”
“It’s not an ‘if,’ it’s a ‘when,’” Schinstock said.
He said the city can’t “look a gift-horse in the mouth” on this project, and needs to take advantage of a project that will cost the city, and its taxpayers, nothing — especially on a project that will need to be done regardless.
Macha argued that a full-depth replacement of the roadway is not necessary and only lengthens the time the project will be in front of the businesses. He also discussed the option of doing an asphalt replacement, which he believes would be faster and cheaper than a concrete option. KDOT is using concrete for its section of the project. Macha is also in the asphalt business as co-owner of SeKan Asphalt, which he said had no bearing on his opinion.
Schinstock said he believes an asphalt surface would not make a significant difference in how long the project would take.
“There are going to be significant delays, regardless of concrete or asphalt,” he said.
Macha also brought forward the concept of simply putting a mill and overlay in place on the highway to repair the top of the roads.
Schinstock said the mill and overlay would only postpone the inevitable repairs, and not fully address the problem.
“For the citizens of Iola as a whole, to get this thing done is the best thing in my mind,” he said.
Council members tabled any decision to move ahead, in order to get more information on the construction. KDOT will be holding a public meeting with local business and property owners on Feb. 28 in its west annex building on North State Street from 5 to 7 p.m. to address concerns over the entire project, which will be opened for bids in March — regardless of what decision the Iola city council makes.
