Committee advances $23 million Huntoon Street reconstruction in split vote

Unplanned full closure on Huntoon Street extends traffic woes

California Avenue access to I-70 closed for bridge project

Topeka's 'worst street' reconstructed in $441,000 upgrade

Major sections of Wanamaker Road receive pavement preservation

City wraps up 2026 microsurfacing street program

Committee funds Lyman Road sidewalk extension

1. Committee advances $23 million Huntoon Street reconstruction in split vote

TOPEKA, Kan. — The Topeka Public Infrastructure Committee voted 2-1 on Tuesday to advance a $23 million reconstruction of Huntoon Street from Gage Boulevard to Harrison Street. The three-year project, funded largely by the Shawnee County half-cent sales tax, will replace aging water and sewer mains while reducing the roadway from two travel lanes to one to decrease accidents. Councilmembers David Banks and Neil Dobler voted in favor of the measure, while Councilwoman Sylvia Ortiz opposed it. Utilities officials emphasized the project is a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity" to install a critical 12-inch water main beneath the corridor without burdening utility ratepayers with street replacement costs.

2. Unplanned full closure on Huntoon Street extends traffic woes

TOPEKA, Kan. — An ongoing milling and overlay project on Huntoon Street from Gage to MacVicar has forced a complete closure of the roadway to through traffic after crews discovered severe concrete deterioration. Originally designed to keep one eastbound lane open to minimize disruptions to local businesses, the underlying concrete proved too unstable to safely support vehicles, forcing contractors to limit the road to local traffic only. Topeka Public Works Director Braxton Copley acknowledged the frustration of nearby businesses but assured the Topeka Public Infrastructure Committee that the contractor is working toward substantial completion by the Oct. 9 deadline.

3. California Avenue access to I-70 closed for bridge project

TOPEKA, Kan. — The Kansas Department of Transportation has officially closed access to Interstate 70 at California Avenue as part of an ongoing bridge replacement project. The bridge carries California Avenue over the interstate. During the closure, I-70 traffic passing under the bridge is being detoured up the off-ramps, across the California Avenue intersection, and back down the on-ramps to re-enter the highway. City officials urge drivers to reduce speeds and remain cautious in the unorthodox traffic pattern. The project remains fully on schedule and is expected to conclude in the winter of 2026 or early January 2027.

4. Topeka's 'worst street' reconstructed in $441,000 upgrade

TOPEKA, Kan. — Topeka's lowest-rated road has officially been rebuilt following a $441,041 full reconstruction project on Southwest Gerald Lane and 11th Street by Kings Construction. Prior to the project, the street held a Pavement Condition Index score of three out of 100, marking it as the absolute worst road segment in the city. The completion marks a significant upgrade for the industrial neighborhood, replacing a crumbling road surface with entirely new pavement.

5. Major sections of Wanamaker Road receive pavement preservation

TOPEKA, Kan. — The city completed approximately 13 lane miles of ultra-thin bonded asphaltic surface (UBAS) treatments this summer, including major segments of Wanamaker Road. The $1.29 million program laid down a protective surface layer on Wanamaker from 10th Street to the Interstate 470 crossing at Huntoon, and from 21st Street to 29th Street. Public Works officials noted that the remaining middle section of Wanamaker requires significant patching and will receive the UBAS surface treatment next year.

6. City wraps up 2026 microsurfacing street program

TOPEKA, Kan. — The Topeka Public Works Department concluded its 2026 microsurfacing program, successfully resurfacing 50 lane miles of roads primarily in southeast Topeka. Costing $1.37 million, the preservation treatment applies a thin slurry of emulsion and fine aggregate to protect the underlying pavement from moisture and UV oxidation, staving off the freeze-thaw cycles that create potholes. The city plans to shift its microsurfacing efforts to the northeast quadrant of Topeka for the 2027 budget year.

7. Committee funds Lyman Road sidewalk extension

TOPEKA, Kan. — The Topeka Public Infrastructure Committee unanimously approved a $500,000 extension of the Lyman Road sidewalk project to improve pedestrian access west of the Union Pacific Railroad crossing. Funded by general obligation bonds, the second phase of the project will extend the sidewalk to Vail Avenue, connecting western properties to Logan Elementary School and Tyler Street. Construction on this second phase is slated for the 2027 construction season.

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