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Jeremy Gaston/Herald-Chronicle
Gabe Faimon | Reporter
BURLINGAME—A Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) news
release announced March 23 the city of Burlingame was selected as
recipient of $493,465 through the American Recovery and Reinvestment
Act (ARRA) of 2009, commonly known as the “economic stimulus
package.”
The city’s request to be included in the ARRA said the funds
would be used for curb and gutter repair beginning at the south
city limits on U.S. Highway 56, north to brick paving on Topeka
Avenue, then west on state Highway 31 (Santa Fe Avenue) to the west
city limits. The ARRA-funded project would also address recurring
drainage problems at the South Topeka Avenue and Park Avenue intersection.
Brick paving on the two streets will not be disturbed.
In addition, Burlingame received notification in January the city
had been selected to be included in the KDOT City Connecting Links
Resurfacing Program (KLINK) in the amount of $127,000. The city’s
proposal called for a mill and overlay project to refinish the surface
of designated street segments. The defined boundaries for the approved
KLINK project were defined later as boundaries in the ARRA request.
The ARRA funding came after Burlingame City Clerk Patti Gilbert
notified the city council earlier this month the KDOT deadline for
submission of an ARRA funding request was March 13.
Gilbert requested the council to “authorize staff to compile
the figures,” and allow the Mayor and two council members
to sign the request so the city could submit a request to KDOT by
the deadline. During the March 2 meeting, the council approved Gilbert’s
request.
Responding to council action, Gilbert assembled a team including
Burlingame utility foreman Gerry Grandstaff, public works employee
Dave Punches, and BG Consultants, Inc. representatives Brian Kingsley
and Dan Harden. With governing body signatures, the request was
hand carried to Earl Bozak, KDOT District One area engineer, in
Osage City, March 13. Ten days later, KDOT announced approval of
the funding request.
Since the ARRA project provides for curb and gutter repair, city
planning calls for its completion before the KLINK street resurfacing
project begins. Both projects will be scheduled for completion in
summer, 2010.
The KLINK grant provides the state’s participation will be
75 percent of the constructions costs, including construction engineering.
Added to the ARRA funds, a combined total of $755,593 in city, state
and federal funding will be available for upgrading segments of
Santa Fe Avenue and Topeka Avenue.
Excluding preliminary engineering, the ARRA funding request stated
the city would contribute $146,670 to the project, including $53,875
for work to be performed by city employees. The $493,465 ARRA funding
includes $53,875 more than requested, relieving the city of the
in-kind contribution.
Reacting to the ARRA funding announcement and its linkage with the
KLINK grant award, First State Bank president John Fowler said,
“The effort will dovetail very well with the $25,000 Federal
Home Loan Bank project award and the city’s $10,000 in-kind
commitment to that project.”
“The effort will be a great benefit and bring some excitement
into the community’s future,” said Burlingame Chamber
of Commerce president LeeAnn Smiley.
The ARRA request estimated that 20 jobs would be created by the
project during the four-month period for actual construction.
The ARRA funding stipulates the city must secure signed contracts
for all project materials and activities before Dec. 1. |
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