Committee reviews new traffic calming policy, expands pilot program

Two-year reconstruction approved for Topeka Boulevard

Night operations proposed for NW Topeka Boulevard from Elm Row Avenue to Menninger Road

City plans nighttime resurfacing for Wanamaker Road retail corridor

Concrete pavement replacement set for North Kansas Avenue

Road repairs fast-tracked for Lower Silver Lake Road ahead of harvest season

Comprehensive street and sewer repairs coming to the Shadywood West neighborhood

Waterline work delays major east-west street paving, funds redirected

River weir improvement project budget jumps to $2 million

City to spend over $1 million on Montara South Water Tower repairs

Committee reviews new traffic calming policy, expands pilot program

TOPEKA, Kan. - The Topeka Public Infrastructure Committee reviewed a newly defined traffic-calming policy Tuesday that outlines strict criteria for speed-reduction interventions. To qualify for physical devices like speed humps or traffic circles, a street must be a two-lane local road carrying between 300 and 2,000 vehicles per day, where 85 percent of drivers exceed the speed limit by more than 3 mph. Following a successful pilot project on a northeast Topeka street that reduced average speeds by up to 6 mph, officials announced a second, $60,000 pilot project planned for a street segment near a central Topeka neighborhood.

Two-year reconstruction approved for Topeka Boulevard

TOPEKA, Kan. - A massive two-year reconstruction project is coming to Topeka Boulevard between 29th and 37th streets. The committee unanimously approved the plan, which includes milling, overlay, full-depth patching and the complete reconstruction of the intersections at 29th and 37th streets with new traffic signals. Work will begin on the southern portion in 2026, temporarily closing east-west traffic at 37th Street, before moving north to rebuild the 29th Street intersection in 2027. The city plans to maintain at least one lane of north-south traffic throughout the duration of the construction.

Night operations proposed for NW Topeka Boulevard from Elm Row Avenue to Menninger Road

TOPEKA, Kan. - A mill and overlay project targeting NW Topeka Boulevard from Elm Row Avenue to Menninger Road received unanimous committee approval Tuesday. Pending neighborhood feedback, the city proposes executing the work at night under full closure to expedite the paving and reduce long-term traffic disruptions. If residents object to the night operations, daytime traffic will be detoured onto Kansas Avenue.

City plans nighttime resurfacing for Wanamaker Road retail corridor

TOPEKA, Kan. - Wanamaker Road is slated for an ultra-thin bonded asphaltic surface overlay from 10th Street to Interstate 470 and from 21st to 29th streets. To minimize daytime traffic disruption along the busy commercial corridor, the city proposes requiring contractors to complete the work at night. The committee approved the project, which is scheduled to begin in July and will be completed prior to the holiday shopping season. Additional street segments may be included depending on final bid prices.

Concrete pavement replacement set for North Kansas Avenue

TOPEKA, Kan. - The committee approved a half-cent sales tax-funded project to replace the concrete pavement on North Kansas Avenue approaching the south end of the Kansas Avenue Bridge. The paving will be timed to coordinate with the Kansas Department of Transportation's upcoming Polk-Quincy Viaduct project to minimize prolonged closures. Committee members expressed heavy concerns about the construction trapping residents and large delivery trucks in the adjacent neighborhood, prompting officials to commit to a robust traffic control and neighborhood access plan.

Road repairs fast-tracked for Lower Silver Lake Road ahead of harvest season

TOPEKA, Kan. - The committee approved a mill and overlay project for Lower Silver Lake Road, with officials emphasizing a strict timeline to ensure the road is fully open before the fall harvest. The repairs will take place in two sections, requiring one-week full closures with local detours routed to U.S. Highway 24. Heavy grain truck traffic relies on the route to access local grain elevators, making the late summer completion critical to the local agricultural economy.

Comprehensive street and sewer repairs coming to the Shadywood West neighborhood

TOPEKA, Kan. - As part of the city's 2025 pavement management program, the Shadywood West neighborhood will see significant infrastructure improvements this summer. The committee authorized a project that includes milling and overlay, full-depth patching, curb and gutter spot repairs and storm sewer pipe lining. Construction is anticipated to begin in June or July and is scheduled to wrap up by October.

Waterline work delays major east-west street paving, funds redirected

TOPEKA, Kan. - A previously discussed mill and overlay project for SW 21st Street has been postponed to allow the city to complete necessary waterline repairs beneath the roadway. In its place, the committee approved redirecting those roadwork funds to two alternative paving projects: NW Tyler Street and SE 25th Street. Construction on the substituted road segments is expected to begin in August.

River weir improvement project budget jumps to $2 million

TOPEKA, Kan. - A critical project to address low water conditions and ice blockages at the city's river intakes will cost two and a half times its original estimate. Utilities Director Sylvia Davis told the committee the river weir crest cap improvement project, initially estimated at $800,000, received a single bid of $3 million due to skyrocketing mobilization and sheet piling costs. The city successfully negotiated the price down to $2 million, and the committee unanimously approved cash-funding the amended budget. Construction is slated to begin in September and wrap up by the end of the year.

City to spend over $1 million on Montara South Water Tower repairs

TOPEKA, Kan. - Built in the 1950s, the Montara South Water Tower will undergo extensive structural and safety renovations later this year. The committee unanimously approved the cash-funded project, estimated at just over $1 million, which includes recoating the tower, addressing regulatory inspection updates and installing new handrails and ladder access. Construction is expected to start in the fall and take approximately four months to complete.

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