City News

The City of Topeka, Kansas has introduced a new way to pay for parking with the Passport Parking mobile app. The app, which will be the first mobile pay solution for City of Topeka Downtown parking, will offer drivers a contactless option for paying for and managing parking and can be used at over 1,200 metered spaces.

With the Passport Parking app, users can pay to park quickly and remotely from their smartphones. Additionally, users can receive alerts when their parking sessions are ending, get email receipts and view their parking history from one place.

“We wanted to provide an additional payment method to Topeka parkers,” said City of Topeka Deputy Director of Internal Services, Department of Public Works, Hannah Uhlrig. “Adding this new technology will make it easier for parkers to pay so they can truly enjoy what Downtown has to offer.”

By leveraging the Passport Operating System in the Downtown area, Topeka will improve the parking experience, enable mobile parking payments and increase parking compliance. In addition to the City of Topeka, the University of Kansas and Wichita State University are also powered by Passport.

“Topeka is a growing City dedicated to serving its community and their parking needs,” said Passport’s Director of Municipal Sales, Kelsey Owens. “Passport is excited to partner with the City and provide the technology needed to improve the parking experience and to equip the City for the future.”

To pay to park, drivers can download the free Passport Parking app from the App Store and Google Play. Users can also manage their parking online at passportparking.com.

The City of Topeka is kicking off its “Fix Our Streets” construction projects for the 2021 construction season, which are typically constructed from March through November. These projects are consistent with the City’s Pavement Management Program (PMP) and are essential to restoring and maintaining our streets.

“This year will be a good construction season with many projects planned. We definitely appreciated the patience and understanding of the residents and the traveling public while we strive to improve the roadways in Topeka,” said Mark Schreiner, Interim City Engineer. “Our contractors have shown strong resolve and perseverance in 2020, some finishing jobs ahead of schedule and we fully expect another successful construction season in 2021.”

The Pavement Management Program consists of three components:

1.) Pavement Condition (evaluating the streets and creating a cost-effective treatment strategy)

2.) Four Treatment Strategies

• Reconstruction (remove and replace),
• Rehabilitation (mill and overlay),
• Preventive Maintenance (crack sealing and micro surfacing), and
• Stop Gap Measures (pothole patching, which is keeping streets in serviceable condition)

3.) Funding Sources – Citywide Half Cent Sales Tax, Countywide Half Cent Sales Tax, General Obligation Bonds, Motor Fuel Trust Fund, and other Federal and State aid.

Complete details for all street projects can be found on the City of Topeka’s Project Portal at https://projects.topeka.org/ . For County Road Project information, call 785 251-6101.

 

2021 Pavement Management Rehabilitation & Reconstruction Program

 

• SW 10^th – SW Fairlawn Rd. to west of SW Woodbridge Dr. SW Wanamaker Rd. Widening – Phase II (2^nd year of a two-year project) – #701015.00 March 1, 2021 – November 19, 2021. This trafficway project includes grading, pavement reconstruction, curb and gutter, and storm sewer structures. It also includes Complete Street features such as a 10-foot multi-use path on the north side, 5 foot sidewalks on the south, and bus stops. Combined 2020-2021 Budget: $6 million. Funding: City Half Cent Sales Tax and GO Bonds. Contractor: Bettis Asphalt.
• N Kansas Ave. – N. Curtis St. to N. Norris St. – #841017.91. 2021 Construction: Carried over from 2020. This project experienced scheduling delays due to Union Pacific Railroad right of way access requirements. It includes full depth asphalt pavement reconstruction, sidewalk and ADA ramp replacement, and storm sewer and water line replacement on N Kansas Ave. between Curtis St. and Norris St. The contractor placed the water and sewer line under the UP Railroad tracks in January 2021 after boring under them. Construction is anticipated to be completed this spring or early summer. Budget: $500,000 (street only). Funding: City Half Cent Sales Tax. Contractor: Amino Brothers Company, Inc.
• 12th St. – SW Gage Blvd. to S. Kansas Ave. – #701016.00; Construction: March 1 – November 23, 2021; Jan. 2 – Nov. 23, 2022. Season 1: S. Kansas to SW Washburn; Season 2: Washburn to SW Gage. The new roadway will include one traffic lane, one auxiliary lane for on-street parking, deliveries and bus pullouts, and a combination of shared use paths, on-street bike facilities, and a 5′ sidewalk. This project also includes improvements to the Water and Storm conveyance systems. Budget: $13.2 million. Funding Source: Countywide Sales Tax and Federal Fund Exchange dollars. Contractor: Bettis Asphalt, Inc.
• SW 8th Avenue Sidewalk Improvement Project – #241058.01. Construction: March 15, 2021 – April 30, 2021 (Contractual dates)

This project is part of the 2020 Infill Sidewalk / Pedestrian Master Plan.  The location of the select sidewalk replacements is SW 8th Street from Summit Avenue to Topeka Boulevard.  This project was on hold in 2020 until the SW 8th Street bikeways project was completed. Budget: $119,000. Funding: GO Bonds. Contractor: Sunflower Paving.

• N Kansas Ave. – N. Morse St. to N. Soldier Creek St. – #841017.85. Construction: March 22-Dec. 2. This project consists of complete removal and replacement of the street surface, a new water line, and some new sidewalk and storm water drain repairs. Two-way traffic will be maintained during the project except for about a month when the south leg of the N. Kansas and Morse intersection will be closed. Budget: $1.5 million (street only). Funding: City Half Cent Sales Tax. Construction Contractor: R.D. Johnson Excavating.
• SW Topeka Blvd. – 45^th to 49th Street Repair Project – #841077.00. Construction: April 5, 2021 – June 11, 2021. This street repair project for SW Topeka Blvd. from SW 45th St. to SW 49th St. includes the mill and overlay of the existing asphalt pavement, with limited full depth patching, pavement marking, and limited regrading of gravel shoulders. Budget: $483,000. Funding: City Half Cent Sales Tax. Construction Contractor: Sunflower Paving.

 

 

• Central Park Neighborhood SORT Project – #601106.01. Start Date: April 5 – October 29.

This project will reconstruct 37,826 square feet of sidewalk, repave 5 alleys, and select sanitary sewer sections. The work will be done in the area bordered by SW Polk/Central Park Ave./Huntoon St./16^th St. and SW Polk/SW Buchanan St./SW 16^th/SW 17^th St. Budget: $1.5 million. Funding Source: GO Bonds. Construction Contractor: Sunflower Paving.

• Deer Creek Trafficway – I-70 to SE 6^th Street – #841072.00. Construction: April 12 – July 16 This is a mill and overlay project with some full depth patching. Budget: $600,000. Funding: City Half Cent Sales Tax. Contractor: Bettis Asphalt.
• SE California – 6^th to 10^th (one block long) – #841060.09. Construction: April 12 – August 27 (Contractual dates). This project is a Storm Water Utility-driven project. The streets will be repaired following utility work. Budget: $280,000 (street only). Funding: City Half Cent Sales Tax. Contractor: Farmers Excavating.
• NW Furman Road – Lower Silver Lake Road (¼ mile from intersection) – #841060.04. Estimated Start Date: mid-June. This project includes removal and replacement of the existing asphalt roadway, an increase in the roadway elevation near the Lower Silver Lake Road intersection, and enlarging the ditch on the east side of the roadway. Budget: $380,000. Funding: City Half Cent Sales Tax.

 

City Half Cent Sales Tax – Mill & Overlay Projects

• SE 37th – Indiana to California #841060.20

Construction: Starts April 19

This project is a mill & overlay of the street and new curb and gutter on the south side. Estimated cost: $200,000. Construction Contractor: Hamm, Inc.

• SW 30th/SW Hillcrest/SW Twilight Dr./SW Eveningside Drive

This project includes removal of asphalt curbs and replacement with concrete ones, and a mill & overlay of the street. Estimated cost: $500,000

 

Various City Half Cent Sales Tax Funded Programs

2021 Curb and Gutter Replacement Program. Budget: $1,250,000

The curb and gutter replacement program pays for replacements associated with mill & overlay projects.

 

2021 Alley Program. Budget: $500,000

These three alley repairs in the NOTO district are scheduled for repairs in late summer/early fall:

• Between Quincy/Kansas from St. Johns to Paramore
• Between Kansas/Jackson from Norris to Laurent
• Between Kansas/Jackson from Laurent to Gordon

 

2021 ADA Sidewalk Ramp Program. Budget: $300,000

This program constructs accessible public sidewalk ramps at street intersections. Each year, funds are spent in a general area. This approach provides the greatest impact for improving overall accessibility. Work this year will be in the following areas:

• North Topeka West Neighborhood – (neighborhood west of NW Topeka Blvd. from the river to 24 Highway)
• Downtown/Monroe
• Topeka Blvd Corridor.

Specific, final locations are still to be determined.

 

Intersection pavement reconstruction projects

These two intersections will be completed in late summer/early fall:

• SW 6th and Jackson – Budget: $ 250,000
• SW 29th and Kansas Ave – Budget: $ 250,000 -$ 300,000

 

Sidewalk Repair Program. Budget: $100,000

• Sidewalk panel replacements associated with the 50/50 Sidewalk Program. This financial assistance program is mostly property-owner driven and funds are spent on a first-come, first-served basis.

 

City Half Cent Sales Tax Projects Less Than $250,000

• SE 6th – Norwood to Rice Road (multiple years). Panel and joint replacement; late summer/early fall.
• SW 29th – MacVicar to Burlingame. Failed partial-depth concrete patch replacement; late summer/early fall. MacVicar to Fairlawn is planned in 2022.
• Panel and Joint Replacement (concrete) Program – Various locations across Topeka.
• Asphalt Patching Program – Various locations across Topeka.

 

2021 Surface Preservation Program – Budget $2,000,000

• Crack seal and/or joint seal ‘arterials’ constructed in last 10 years+/- across Topeka
• Crack seal/micro-surface residential/collectors roadways.
  • Finish neighborhood streets in west Topeka that were not accomplished in 2020.

James Jackson has been hired as the Public Works Director for the City of Topeka. Jackson was previously the Commissioner of Public Works for the City of Atlanta Georgia. Jackson will start as the Director of Public Works on April 5^th.

“Today I am excited to announce that James Jackson has accepted the position of Public Works Director for the City of Topeka. He brings a tremendous amount of experience that will fit perfectly into the needs of our community,” said City Manager Brent Trout. “I believe James is the right person for this job and will continue the city’s mission to improve our infrastructure and fix our streets.”

Jackson is a certified Public Works Executive (PWE, APWA) as well as an ICMA Credential Manager Candidate. He has 27 years of experience and served as interim Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, Operations and Department of Public Works director for the cities Richmond, Virginia and Detroit, Michigan. He has also served as the Public Services director for Wayne County, Michigan and the Streets and Sanitation director for the City of Grand Rapids, Michigan as well as Commissioner of Public Works for the City of Atlanta.

“I am pleased to have the opportunity to serve the citizens of the City of Topeka, and to support the public works professionals who serve the City every day. City Manager Trout, HR Manager Michele Smith, HR Director Jacque Russell and Chief of Staff Bill Cochran have all been very helpful in getting me and my family situated there in the City of Topeka.  I look forward to onboarding and getting up to speed as expeditiously as possible,” said Jackson.

Jackson received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Mathematics from Knoxville College and a Master’s in Public Administration from Columbus State University.  He is a former Marine and also served as President of the Knoxville College National Alumni Association. Jackson’s salary as Public Works Director will be $142,000.

 

Funding is still available for the City of Topeka Small Business grant program. In 2020 the City of Topeka Housing Services Division created COVID-19 assistance programs to help small businesses in the community who have been negatively impacted by COVID-19. These federal dollars have been, and continue to be a great resource to the businesses who are struggling in Topeka. The City of Topeka has helped 26 small businesses since the program started.

“We have seen a great need in our community for assistance due to the impacts of COVID-19,” said Corrie Wright, Division Director of Housing Services. “The Operation COVID-19 Assistance programs were designed to help our small businesses stay open.”

Applications for the Small Business Grant program were accepted beginning on October 1^st, 2020. Nineteen applications have been approved and 39% of the funds have been committed and paid.77% of the recipients of the grant are minority or woman owned businesses. The average grant for approved applicants is $19,090.

The Small Business Grant Program provides operating assistance to sole proprietors and business owners employing 1-25 persons as of March 1^st 2020 to keep residents employed. For a business to qualify for this grant they must be owned, or employ low to moderate income persons and demonstrate a need. Applicants can apply up to $20,000 in assistance and are eligible for expenses including payroll, rent/mortgage, utilities, loss of inventory or COVID related purchases.

More information on the COVID assistance programs can be found on the City of Topeka website. https://www.topeka.org/housing-services/covid-assistance-programs/

 

You can view the full report on the COVID Assistance Programs here: https://cot-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/planning/HSRptJan2021.pdf

The point-in-time count of homeless persons in Topeka took place on January 26^th, 2021. This one day event produces a snapshot of the individuals in our community experiencing homelessness as defined by Housing and Urban Development. This data is used to support federal funding for the Continuum of Care Initiative. In 2020 the Topeka shelters saw 254 people experiencing homelessness. In 2021 that number decreased to 155 due to COVID restrictions at the shelters. 9% of the homeless population in Topeka was under 18, for a total of 28 persons under 18. Overall the numbers of homelessness in Topeka decreased from last year, however the number of homeless people living on the streets increased from 65 people in 2020 to 105 people this year

“The point-in-time count helps us to identify those people in need and to attain the resources that we need to help them,” said Corrie Wright, Division Director of Housing Services for the City of Topeka. “We want to thank all the volunteers who helped us with the count and who are helping to make our community better.”

The information gathered during the point-in-time count helps the City of Topeka understand the face of homelessness in the community so that services are meeting the needs of homeless persons. This count also helps to raise public awareness surrounding issues with homelessness and measures the community progress towards preventing and ending homelessness.

The City of Topeka’s Housing Services Division has totaled the numbers from this year’s point-in-time count. This one day event produced a snapshot of individuals in our community experiencing homelessness.

• 298 People experiencing homelessness.
• 123 Households experiencing homelessness.
• 16 individuals are veterans.
• 52% of people were in an emergency shelter, 13% were in transitional housing and 35% were unsheltered.

 

Thirty-five individuals helped with the point-in-time homeless count. Below is a chart that details and compares the numbers from 2020 and 2021.

 

2020                                                  2021

 

People	401	298
Households	306	123
% of veteran households	10	16
% in an emergency shelter	63	52
% in transitional housing	13	13
% unsheltered	24	35

 

 

 

The City of Topeka has appointed Monique Glaudeˊ to the newly created Ombudsman position, while also continuing to serve as the Director of Community Engagement. The Ombudsman will serve as an independent and impartial office where citizens can get help with city services and report their issues with city government. The Ombudsman’s office will allow citizen’s to find answers, ask a question, or submit a SeeClickFix service request. The City of Topeka Ombudsman’s office will provide every effort to respond quickly, succinctly, accurately, and in a friendly manner to citizen requests, inquiries for answers to questions, internal information about policies, practices, and procedures and provide citizens with the capabilities to perform business. Inquiries will be provided to constituents within 3 business days.

“Navigating local government can be tricky for those who don’t know where to start, I’m excited to help our neighbors in the City of Topeka with any issues or concerns that they have,” said Monique Glaudeˊ, Ombudsman for the City of Topeka. “The Ombudsman office will be an essential tool to helping our community have a partner to guide them through city government and any problems that they’re facing.”

The Ombudsman’s office should be the first point of contact for constituents. The goal of the Ombudsman’s office is to foster closer, more effective, and efficient working relationships, to better anticipate and meet citizen needs, and to develop a more detailed working understanding of what citizens want, expect, and need from those who serve them. The Ombudsman’s Office provides many benefits to the public including:

• Enables citizens the opportunity to voice their concerns and make inquiries.

• Accept, track, and manage service requests.
• Record all action taken on each service request.
• Investigate a complaint against a city department, official or employee of the City of Topeka, independently and impartially, and on a confidential manner, to the extent possible as provided by law.
• Work with a department to resolve a problem when an investigation shows that the department has acted contrary to law, unreasonably or unfairly, or has made a mistake.
• Make recommendations to departments for administrative or policy changes, when appropriate.
• Answer questions relating the City government or refer the person to a suitable agency or entity for answers.

The public can contact the Ombudsman’s office at ombudsman@topeka.org or by calling (785) 368-3947. The Ombudsman’s office is located at the Holliday Building, but will eventually move to City Hall.

 

In November 2019 the City of Topeka established an ordinance to require the registration of vacant properties and properties that are the subject of mortgage foreclosure proceedings. The registration of vacant properties is to help address the deterioration, crime and decline in property values in Topeka by identifying, regulating and working to limit and reduce the number of vacant properties in the community. Letters have been sent out by the city’s contractor ProChamps to owners of properties that have been determined to be vacant for more than 180 days.
ProChamps implements the registration requirement for properties that have been vacant more than 180 days pursuant to TMC 8.65. ProChamps recently mailed out 1,400 letters requiring owners of these properties to register. If a particular owner wishes to dispute whether his or her property is vacant, the owner can do so through the internet link provided on the notice and choose the dispute option on the link. Property Maintenance staff will review the dispute, make a determination whether the property falls within the purview of the ordinance, and will notify the property owner. We apologize for any alarm or inconvenience this may have caused and, again, encourage those who received a letter and wish to file a dispute to follow the process outlined above.
If the property owner has questions concerning the City’s determination, the owner can contact Property Maintenance staff by email at mhaugen@topeka.org or call 785-368-3161. If the property owner has questions about how to dispute an initial determination, the owner can contact Prochamps at support@prochamps.com or 1-888-463-7770.

The City of Topeka was awarded $1,157,894 from the KDOT Transportation Alternatives (TA) Grant Program to implement Phase IV of the Topeka Bikeways Master Plan/Fast-Track 2020 Update. This phase includes 12 projects ranging from small to large that will provide for safer and more connected bike facilities in neighborhoods throughout the city. Those projects include two new major connections to Downtown, a first ever connection and enhancement to a Kansas River levee trail, 8 additional connections to the Shunga, Landon, and Soldier Creek Trails, and a ¾ mile multi-use side path along NW Tyler. In addition, Shawnee County was awarded funds to complete the Deer Creek Trail between Dornwood Park and SE 29^th Street.

“This grant from the KDOT Transportation Alternatives Grant Program will better connect the city and make it safer for cyclists – two priorities we heard from the public,” said Bill Fiander, Director of Planning and Development for the City of Topeka. “The City of Topeka is proud of our growing bikeways and complete streets network that benefit all users of streets and trails regardless of how they choose to travel.”

Total project costs will be split between the TA Grant (80%) and local funds (20%). The City’s match will primarily come from the Countywide sales tax dedicated for Bikeways Master Plan implementation. Construction is scheduled to be completed by 2023. The City projects are further described below:

Downtown Connections

1. Kansas Bridge – Laurent to 1st street: Reduction of vehicle lanes and separated bike lanes on the Kansas Avenue Bridge
2. Landon to downtown connection- Reduction of travel lanes on Monroe and Quincy, separated/buffered bike lanes on Monroe, Quincy, 11th and 12th, and pedestrian lane on Monroe from 15th – 17th

 

Trail Connections (multiple areas)

3. 15th street from Kansas Ave to Shunga: Sharrows and signage
4. 6th and Branner connecting to the Shunga: 10’ Trail connection and signage
5. North Levee Trail loop: Along the levee from Kansas to Topeka- Trail surface enhancements/signage/access. Tyler north to Laurent and Laurent to Kansas- Sharrows
6. 20th and Kansas connecting to the Shunga: 10’ Trail connection and signage
7. 21st and Western connecting to the Shunga: 10’ Trail connection and signage
8. Shunga Trail connection near MacVicar and Shunga Dr: 10’ Trail connection, signage and curb ramps
9. Waddell to Soldier Creek Trail: 10’ Trail Connection, signage and curb ramps (design will be done with City Street recon project)
10. Landon Trail to Fremont on 29th: 10’ Shared use path and retaining wall
11. Liberty and California to the Shunga: 10’ Trail Connection

 

North Topeka

12. Tyler- Lyman to Paramore- 10’ Sidepath on East side (design will be done with City Street recon project)

The City of Topeka is partnering with the Shawnee County Health Department and the Jayhawk Area Agency on Aging to help our neighbors who are 65 and over to complete the COVID-19 vaccination interest survey through Pop-Up Survey Clinics. Several people over the age of 65 in our community have a variety of impeding factors that prevent them from completing the survey including a lack of computer accessibility, no internet availability, no cell phone number, no email address or a lack of vaccine educational information. In an effort to ensure equitability for all of our 65 and older neighbors, a plan of action has been implemented for the months of February through April to help complete the survey. The events will take place during the day, one evening a week and one Saturday a month to provide participants with a variety of options to receive help to complete the survey.

“Shawnee County is dedicated to an equitable distribution of vaccine in our communities. We are grateful for partnerships that will help us reach those with limited resources. As our mission states, we are committed to working in partnership with our community to protect the optimal health of all people by bridging gaps,” said Derik Flerlage, Infectious Disease Division Manager at the Shawnee County Health Department.

The first Pop-Up Clinic will be Saturday, February 20^th from 9-11 a.m. at the Jayhawk Area Agency on Aging located at 2910 SW Topeka Boulevard. It is estimated that hundreds of people in our community will be able to obtain the vaccination who otherwise could have potentially been omitted due to the barriers of accessing the vaccination interest survey. Additional times and places of the Pop-Up Survey Clinics will be announced in advance once they are scheduled.

The Pop-Up Survey Clinics will consist of the following:

• Pop-Up Survey Clinics at local senior housing facilities
• Pop-Up Mobile Survey Clinics at various locations throughout the community

 

Social distancing mandates will be adhered to and the team will be equipped with PPE gear during the events in an effort to ensure everyone’s safety. Participants will be required to wear a facial mask.

 

For additional information on the Shawnee County Health Department contact Craig Barnes at 785-251-5612.

For additional information and questions pertaining to seniors please contact Susan Harris at the Jayhawk Area Agency on Aging at sharris@hawkaaa.org or 785-235-1367.

For additional information and questions on Pop-Up Events please contact Monique Glaudeˊ, Director of Community Engagement & Ombudsman for the City of Topeka at mglaude@topka.org or 785-368-4470.

Bill Cochran has been named as the Chief of Staff for City Manager Brent Trout. The Chief of Staff is a new position who will work as an assistant to the City Manager and perform a variety of duties to coordinate the administrative activities of the City Manager while also assisting with strategic focus and operations efficiencies to ensure optimal use of resources. Cochran will start his duties as Chief of Staff on February 22^nd.

“Today I am excited to announce that Bill Cochran has accepted my offer to return to the City of Topeka in a new role as my Chief of Staff.  Bill Cochran is someone that we all know as a dedicated public servant to the City of Topeka with 34 years of service in the Police Department,” said City Manager Brent Trout. “Bill is a well-qualified person to fulfill this newly created position in our government structure.  In addition to his education and experience, Bill Cochran has strong community ties that will help facilitate the duties of his new role.”

Bill Cochran worked for the Topeka Police Department for 34 years including 3 years as Chief of Police. Cochran has worked in several capacities at the Topeka Police Department including homicide, traffic, patrol, field operations, and criminal investigations.

“I am very excited to continue my career in public service as the Chief of Staff to City Manager Trout. I am looking forward to starting this new phase of my career and continuing to serve the citizens of Topeka in my new role,” said Cochran.

Cochran has also served in the Army National Guard from February 1985 until he retired as a First Lieutenant in July of 2005. He was deployed for thirteen months in Iraq from January 2004 to February of 2005. Cochran received his Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from Washburn University in 1987 and his Masters of Business Administration from Friends University in 2010. Cochran is also a graduate of the Northwestern University Center for Public Safety Police Staff and Command School. Cochran’s salary as Chief of Staff will be $125,000.