Southwest Topeka Boulevard approved for road repairs

TOPEKA (KSNT) — Topeka City Leaders unanimously approved a plan to renovate a stretch of Southwest Topeka Boulevard project three years early.

It's the stretch of road right in front of the Stormont Vail Event Center which is one of the capital city’s biggest attractions.

City engineers say Topeka Boulevard between 15th and 21th streets is considered to be “very poor” and needs to be replaced sooner rather than later.

They recommended moving up the repair timeline, by three years.

Project design will begin this year and construction will start sometime next year.

It's expected to take about two years to complete and will be done in phases so at least one lane of traffic in both directions and businesses along the construction zone can remain open.

27 News met with District 9 Councilman Tony Emerson, who is on the public works infrastructure committee that pushed this project to the front of the line.

Councilman Emerson tells 27 News the city will pay for this project with money that was originally earmarked for less pressing road repairs.

“We are gonna spend the money instead on Topeka Boulevard," Emerson said. “So anyone who has driven knows how bad the conditions are right now [on] Topeka Boulevard from 17 to 21st. [It’s] just a lot of potholes, a lot of pavement that's in poor condition, it needs replacing for a long time.”

This project was originally approved in 2016 but since then inflation has caused the project to double in cost.

However, Emerson says that because funds will come from projects deemed unnecessary, meaning taxpayers shouldn’t feel a hit.