City of Topeka approves funding to improve roads

TOPEKA (KSNT) — Today, the Topeka City Council signed off on spending an additional $4.9 million on road improvements.

The road work addresses the ongoing damage to Topeka roads such as seasonal potholes and wear and tear.

City leaders selected several locations across the city for a quick construction time frame.

Beginning in April they’ll start on projects that need little to no full-depth patching work.

We met with 5th District Councilman who explained the importance of fixing our roads.

"It goes back to our roads, helps our roads and different areas,”  Brett Kell said. “Alongside sidewalks and things like that. To help Topkeans travel. Through the city, either on foot or in a vehicle."

Kell says Topekan’s have paid for these road improvements over the past few years through the half-cent sales tax.

The funding Kell refers to is the current iteration of the half-cent sales tax that was introduced three years ago. The first half-cent sales tax was introduced 12 years ago but had been altered since then to be used for roads and pavement improvement.

The road work should be completed by the end of Summer 2023.

The council additionally approved the Public Infrastructure Committee's recommendation. This approval allows them to move forward with the design phase. 

These projects are intended to be constructed in 2024. This is not a change of funding, solely approval to move forward with the design phase. 

This is all a part of the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), which requires all half-cent sales tax and any projects funded with ARPA funds to be approved.