Staff writer
Hillsboro City Council took another step Tuesday to meeting requirements for a Kansas Department of Transportation highway grant needed to change access to city streets on the north end of town.
“At our last meeting, when we approved the agreement to annex the Winter property along Highway 56, we agreed to annex two pieces of property,” City Administrator Larry Paine said. “Today, with the approval of ordinance 1228 we move toward meeting the final requirements for the KDOT grant.”
Paine said the next step for the council would be to annex the highway from the west city limits to industrial park property. That would complete grant specifications outlined by KDOT.
“We want to create turning lanes and need, basically, 100 yards west and east of the Adams Street entrance to do this,” Paine said. “This is a safety issue, which will eventually progress to include Jade and Indigo for turning lanes, as well.”
Paine told the council that repair work on sections of Date Street is under on the west side of town.
“They will tear up a section, put down gravel, then pour concrete, and finish one section before they move on and close the next section of the street,” Paine said. “Once they are done with Date, they will move over to Cedar and Birch.”
Paine requested a motion from the council to appoint him a voting delegate to the Kansas Municipal Utilities organization.
“If we do this, don’t go crazy,” council member Bob Watson said.
Paine said he would likely only use his voting privileges for the appointment of board members.
The council unanimously approved his requested designation.