Our Dear Citizens,
Your City of Topeka Governing Body wants to issue a joint statement of support for the work City of Topeka, State and Shawnee County teams are doing to keep our community safe. On our behalf, our Mayor and City Manager are in constant communication with the Shawnee County Health Department and Emergency Management.
The COVID-19/Coronavirus situation is of critical concern for our community. Your joint governing bodies are working to mitigate and predict every need of our community, such as ensuring your water is not disconnected during this situation. Each of us wants to ensure your safety and comfort at home as we ask all individuals to self-quarantine and stay in place and everyone to constantly wash hands. We ask for your grace as this is an unprecedented time with new challenges.
Through this pandemic, know that your city will not stop working for you. Essential personnel are active and departments are taking measures to work from home securely and effectively. Road crews, water treatment staff and public safety officials are all working to take care of you and will continue to do so until this is behind us.
This is a time of difficult decisions. What we consider normal and routine will not be so for some time. We are all going through the same concerns, discomfort and adjustments you are.
Now, more than ever, it is the time for us to come together and support each other. This is a time we all must adhere to what our local and state officials are asking of us.
Stay home and practice social distancing to protect others.
Did you travel and recently returned? Call SNCO Health at 785-806-6297.
Do you have COVID-19 Symptoms? CALL BEFORE YOU GO to any hospital or care provider.
If you go out? Keep social distance – stay at least 6 feet from others, no touching.
Best ways to not transfer germs? Wash hands frequently, don’t touch your face, catch coughs with tissues and throw them away.
Need ideas for educating kids or communicating with people who are in isolation? Check social media and with education and nursing home sources. Great ideas are emerging daily.
Have questions? – Watch local media for updates.
We are working to ensure that through this time your needs are met. There are so many questions. We understand. We will work to provide on time, accurate information as more information becomes available.
We look forward to the day this is all behind us. In the meantime, rest assured we are here, we are together and we are supporting the needs of our community during this difficult time.
Thank you for the privilege of serving you,
Your Governing Body
Mayor Michelle De La Isla
Karen Hiller- District 1
Christina Valdivia-Alcala- District 2
Sylvia Ortiz- District 3
Tony Emerson- District 4
Michael Padilla- District 5
Hannah Naeger- District 6
Neil Dobler- District 7
Spencer Duncan- District 8
Michael Lesser- District 9
The City of Topeka has partnered with several downtown restaurants to provide curbside pickup of to-go orders for patrons practicing social distancing and restaurateurs seeking sales while complying with a restriction on gatherings of more than 50 people due to COVID-19 concerns.
“I’m pleased that the City of Topeka can help our downtown businesses to stay open and provide food services while promoting social distancing and creating a safe environment for our citizens,” said City Manager Brent Trout.
The City of Topeka has pledged to reserve two parking stalls in front of each participating downtown eating establishment, including restaurants, coffee shops, sandwich shops and bars that serve food. Parking stalls will be designated by orange cones and a red and white sign that says “15 min food pickup only”.
“A big ‘Thank You’ to whoever came up with this idea. At this juncture, we should do anything we can to help our employees,” said Doug Thomas owner of The Classic Bean.
List of participating restaurants:
Iron Rail Brewing, 705 S Kansas Ave Juli’s Coffee and Bistro, 110 SE 8th Ave
Jersey Mike’s, 718 S Kansas Ave The Celtic Fox, 118 SW 8th St.
Classic Bean, 722 S Kansas Ave Subway, 935 S Kansas Ave
Brew Bank Topeka, 822 S Kansas Ave The Pennant, 915 S Kansas Ave
In an increased effort to prevent the spread of the COVID 19 virus, the Planning & Development
Department is implementing an “open for business, but not business as usual” operational plan
for the foreseeable future which highly restricts any in-person contact with clients and customers.
Through this plan, the Department will be still be able to provide customary services for all
building permit, inspection scheduling, contractor licensing, and land use/zoning needs on a
daily basis while restricting any outside public access to our 3rd floor offices in the Cyrus K
Holliday Building, 620 SE Madison.
The plan includes 1) encouraging all of our customers to use online, phone, and email as the
preferred option of doing business with Department staff, 2) activating a public counter for walkin
customers in the 1st floor lobby of the Holliday Building to transact much of the daily business
including building/trade permits, contractor licenses, and initiating zoning or subdivision actions,
3) scheduling any meetings with outside customers remotely by phone or video conferencing,
and 4) scheduling any essential in-person meetings in the 1st floor Holliday Conference Room.
The Department has a “one-stop” web page at https://www.topeka.org/developmentservices/
onestop/ containing links to Development Service applications, contacts, and resources
to help customers work with us remotely. Staffing levels may be affected during the foreseeable
future so we ask customers to use non-staff dependent resources as much as possible to help your
projects get reviewed and approved in as timely a manner as possible.
In light of the crisis, the City is also reviewing protocols for required public meetings such as
with our Boards and Commissions that are necessary to complete development projects.
We strongly encourage you to call the following numbers or visit our one-stop web page should
you have questions:
Building Permits 785-368-3704
Contractor Licensing, Trade Permits, and Scheduling Inspections 785-368-3905
Zoning and Subdivisions 785-368-3728
Please go to the City of Topeka website for more information on COVID-19 related policies
enacted by city departments: https://www.topeka.org/news/category/press-releases/
The March 17th Governing Body meeting will be cancelled due to increased efforts to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The Governing Body supports City Manager Trout’s administrative decision to establish moratorium on water shut-offs effective immediately. The City of Topeka Utilities Department will evaluate future plans again on April 15th. Customers must work in conjunction with the Utilities Department to develop a payment plan five days prior to their payment due date.
In increased efforts to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus the City of Topeka Utilities Department encourages all customers to pay online or by phone and to set up payment plans. The customer service call center is open from Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. you can contact them by phone at 785-368-3111 or by email at utilityaccounts@topeka.org. Bills can be paid online at https://www.topeka.org/payonline/.
Please go to the City of Topeka website for more information on COVID-19 related policies enacted by city departments: https://www.topeka.org/news/category/press-releases/
This order is being issued in response to the outbreak of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The City Prosecutor’s Office will remain open Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. However, in the interest of both public safety and public health during the COVID-19 public health crisis, the office will limit contact with the public by no longer allowing walk-in visitors into the office located at City Hall. Effective, Tuesday. March 17th, 2020, all business with the Prosecutor’s Office will be handled via telephone at (785) 368-3910 or fax at (785) 368-3104. If you send a fax, please reference your case number and follow up with a phone call to ensure that there were no issues with your transmission. As always, forms are accessible on the Municipal Court’s website located at www.topeka.org/municipalcourt, and no appearance can be excused without approval from a Municipal Court Judge. If you need to pick-up discovery, you can enter the City Hall building and let security know that you are here for that purpose. Security will then contact us and we will bring down the requested information to you. We will continue to assess how to respond to the ongoing changes in the health of the community and our employees. The City of Topeka Prosecutor’s Office will review this order no later than March 27, 2020, for possible extension or termination based upon public health recommendations about the current pandemic.
As previously stated, the Topeka Municipal Court remains open Monday through Friday, 7:30 am to 4:30 p.m. As part of our continual assessment on how to respond to the ongoing changes in the health of the community and Courthouse employees, additional measures are being implemented to protect the health of those who visit the Courthouse or Probation Division, effective March 17, 2020. All previous restrictions remain in place.
1. All dockets and pre-sentence investigation appointments are canceled through March 27, 2020. All cases will be rescheduled and notices of hearing will be sent by mail to defendants and defense counsel. Defendants should call the Court Clerk’s office at 785-368-3776 to update contact information during normal business hours. Defendants are also encouraged to check the status of their case on public access at: https://court.topeka.org/fullcourtweb/start.do
2. Anyone directed to report to the Probation Division should report by telephone, and NOT report to the Probation Division in person. Probationers shall contact their probation officer at the following numbers at their scheduled appointment time:
Tricia Wiebe: 785-368-0332
Lacie Wiggins: 785-368-3669
Probationers who are uncertain of their probation officer should contact the Probation Division at 785-368-3783.
3. Persons with court business are strongly encouraged to conduct their business by telephone, email, or facsimile wherever possible. Payments may be made online, over the phone, or by mail.
Clerk’s Office: 785-368-3776
Clerk’s Office Fax: 785-368-3782
Email: Motions@topeka.org (MOTIONS ONLY)
Mail: 214 SE 8th Avenue, Topeka, Kansas 66603
Your cooperation is appreciated, and we hope that these temporary measures will help safeguard your health and the health of the community. We will continue to evaluate additional measures in the coming weeks. Please contact the court at 785-368-3776 with any concerns.
Effective tomorrow, March 17, 2020 and until further notice, the Topeka Zoo will be transitioning to Level 2 of its Covid-19 Protocol. While the Zoo will remain open to the public, all of the public buildings will be closed. One public bathroom will remain open and will operate on an every other hour disinfection schedule. For the time being, the Zoo will operate as an open air park.
“The Topeka Zoo and Conservation Center is a valued asset in our community,” said Zoo Director Brendan Wiley. “For those of us that work here, we deeply care about our animals, guests, volunteers and coworkers. We realize that we are living in an unprecedented situation. We want to assure you that as we go through this situation, our animals, guests, volunteers and coworkers are our top most priority.”
In efforts to help keep our community connected to the Zoo during these uncertain times, also beginning tomorrow at 2:00 each day, Zoo staff will post on its Facebook page a story about one of the animal residents that lives here.
The point-in-time count of homeless persons in Topeka took place on January 29th. 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 2019 the Topeka Rescue Mission saw 441 people experiencing homelessness. In 2020 that number decreased to 401. 17% of the homeless population in Topeka was under 18, for a total of 68 persons under 18. Overall the numbers of homelessness in Topeka decreased from last 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.
- 401 People experiencing homelessness.
- 306 Households experiencing homelessness.
- 188 individuals have a serious mental illness.
- 157 individuals are chronically homeless.
- 63% of people were in an emergency shelter, 13% were in transitional housing and 24% were unsheltered.
Thirty individuals helped with the point-in-time homeless count. Below is a chart that details and compares the numbers from 2019 and 2020. An extra 53 people in the Emergency Shelter and 42 people in Transitional Housing chose not to be surveyed.
2019 2020
| People | 441 | 401 |
| Households | 349 | 306 |
| % of single adults | 90 | 87 |
| % of adults with children | 10 | 13 |
| % of youth households | 16 | 17 |
| % of veteran households | 12 | 10 |
| People with serious mental illness | 212 | 188 |
| People who are chronically homeless | 181 | 157 |
| People with a substance abuse disorder | 112 | 68 |
| People who are victims of domestic violence | 49 | 54 |
| % in an emergency shelter | 70 | 63 |
| % in transitional housing | 15 | 13 |
| % unsheltered | 15 | 24 |
On Friday, March 13th, the City of Topeka Utilities Department will be conducting routine hazardous material training. This training will be visible from US I-70 and will involve the use of harmless green smoke and employees in Class A hazardous material protective suits.
We want to inform the public of this training so that if seen from nearby, the sight will not raise concern. This is routine annual training to make sure that our employees are ready to respond to emergencies.
The City of Topeka is kicking off its “Fix Our Streets” construction projects for the 2020 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.
“The City of Topeka’s Pavement Management Program is based on the philosophy of providing the right treatment to the right street at the right time,” said Jason Peek, PhD, Public Works Director. “It is a data-driven, systematic approach to improving and maintaining our roadways.”
The Pavement Management Program uses 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 – keeping streets in serviceable condition); and 3.) Funding – Citywide Half Cent Sales Tax, General Fund, Motor Fuel Fund, and 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.
Major Street Widening and Reconstruction Projects starting in 2020
- SW 10th Ave. – Fairlawn Rd. to Wanamaker Rd. Widening – #701015.00 (2020-2021); 2020 Construction: April 20 – November 12. 2021 Construction: March 1, 2021 – November 12, 2021. Season 1: SW 10th Avenue from just east of Wanamaker to SW Morna Drive. Season 2: SW 10th Avenue from SW Morna Drive to Fairlawn. This traffic way project will provide grading, pavement reconstruction, curb and gutter, storm sewer structures, and bridge modifications located on SW 10th Street from SW Fairlawn Road to SW Wanamaker Road. This will also include complete street features such as 10 foot multi-use paths, 5 foot sidewalks, and bus stop features. Budget: $6 million. Funding: County Half Cent Sales Tax.
- SW Gage – SW 37th to SW 45th St. – #701041.00 (2020). Construction: April 13 – November 20. This project consists of complete removal of concrete pavement, placement of treated subgrade, replacement of curb and gutter, placement of new curb & gutter, new asphaltic concrete pavement, replace inlet tops, replace deteriorated storm sewer, sidewalk ramps and pavement markings on SW Gage Blvd. from 215 feet south of SW 37th St to SW 45th St. Budget: $2.5 million. Funding: GO Bonds
- N Kansas Ave. – N. Curtis St. to N. Norris St. – #841017.91 (2020) Est. Start Date: June. This project 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 new storm sewer and water line will be bored under the UP Railroad tracks. Construction is anticipated to begin in spring 2020. Budget for the street funding only: $500,000. Funding: City Half Cent Sales Tax
- N Kansas Ave. – N. Morse St. to N. Soldier Creek St. – #841017.85 (2020) Est. Start Date: May. This project consists of complete removal and replacement of street surface, a new water line, and some new sidewalk and storm water drain repair. Budget: $1.5 million. Funding: City Half Cent Sales Tax.
- SE Carnahan Rd. – Under I-70 Bridge, Mill and overlay on Deer Creek – 6th to 10th – #841071.00 (2020) Start Date: July 6. This project consists of removal and replacement of concrete pavement SE Carnahan. Budget: $1.2 million. Funding: City Half Cent Sales Tax.
- Chesney Park Neighborhood Streets Phase II – #841017.88 (2020). Start Date: April 27 – December 4. This street maintenance project includes concrete pavement replacement/repair, curb & gutter replacement/repair, asphalt pavement patching, milling, and asphalt overlay for the Chesney Park Neighborhood located from SW Clay St to SW Western Ave and from SW 17th St to SW 21st St. Budget: $1.8 million. Funding Source: City Half Cent Sales Tax.
Utility Work during 2020 for the 12th St. Project
- SW 12th – SW Gage to S Kansas Ave. Project – #701016 (2021-2023). Private utilities (gas, electric, cable) will begin relocating this spring between S. Kansas and Washburn. All city water, wastewater and storm water work begins at the same time the street work begins for Phase I in 2021. Street work will be: 2021 – S. Kansas to Washburn; 2022 – Washburn to Oakley; 2023 – Oakley to Gage.
Ongoing Projects from 2019
- Bikeways Phase III – #861005.02. (2019-2020). 8th – SW Topeka to College; Washburn and Lane – 6th to 17th. Construction restarts March 25. This project includes construction of bike lanes on SW 8th – Topeka Blvd. to College Ave. and on Washburn and Lane from SW 6th to SW 17th. It also includes pavement markings on all of Route 12; Route 19, Sections 6, 7 and 8; and Route 5, Section 23. Budget: $1 million. Funding Source: State Grant. The routes and other information regarding the progress of the master plan can be found at https://topekampo.org/bikeways-master-plan/.
- Quinton Heights-Steele Neighborhood Streets – #601075.04. (2019 – 2020). This project consists of street work on 24th Fillmore to Buchanan Central Park 24th to 26th, alley work between Central Park/Fillmore, some infill sidewalk, and a pedestrian crossing at Buchanan and 24th. Budget: $1 million. Funding: GO Bonds (SORT Program)
2020 Mill & Overlay Projects, all funded by the City Half Cent Sales Tax
- Brown v. Board and Richie House Neighborhoods – #841056.09. SE 10th to 17th, Kansas to Madison.
- Sherwood Park Neighborhood – #841060.06. Addition northwest of SW 29th and SW Indian Hills. Bid opening is set for March 18th. Start date will be set and announced within 30 days of opening.
- Saline, Watson, 3rd and 4th – #841060.13. North of 6th between Oakley and Gage.
- Westdale/Bluewood Neighborhood – #841060.05. South of 10th, west of Fairlawn.
- Westview Addition – #841060.07. west of Gage around SW 25th.
- 11th St./Munson St. from SW Gage Blvd. to Topeka Ave. – #841060.08. Start date will be set and announced within 30 days of bid opening.
2020 Preventive Maintenance (Micro Surfacing)
- Projects will primarily be on neighborhood streets west of Fairlawn with a condition index between 50 and 80 (streets rated in “good”, “fair” and “satisfactory condition”). In 2019, 97 lane miles received crack sealing and a micro surfacing. A lane mile is one 1-mile long stretch of pavement 12 feet wide. The completed area is 682,458 square yards, which is about 106 football fields, including the end zones. The plan is to cover 92 lane miles in 2020.
Safety First
Do your part to keep work zones safe for drivers and workers!
Be alert and watch for workers. Be prepared to stop when necessary.
Follow all traffic control. Don’t take shortcuts through private property.
Give yourself extra time to get to your destination. Don’t tailgate.
And remember, work zones are double fine areas!