The Metropolitan Topeka Planning Organization (MTPO), in coordination with the City of Topeka and
Shawnee County, is developing a transportation safety plan focused on local roadways (city streets
and county roads) to set priorities toward the goal of reducing serious injury and fatal crashes.
An open house will be held to provide information about the study and to give the public a chance
to share their ideas about issues concerning transportation safety in the Topeka/Shawnee County
area. The open house will be held:
Tuesday, July 31, 2018
11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and
5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Holliday Conference Room at City of Topeka Office Building 620 SE Madison Street
I-70 at Exit 362B (East and West) Topeka, KS 66607
Between 2010 and 2016, there were 23,591 crashes on city streets and county roads in Topeka/Shawnee
County resulting in 5,545 injuries and 68 fatalities. This equates to an average cost to society of
$193 million dollars in lost wages, vehicle repairs, hospital bills and other unintended expenses
in Topeka/Shawnee County each year.
Public input is needed early in the project to gain an understanding of transportation users’
(drivers, riders, pedestrians and bicyclists) priorities related to transportation safety in
Topeka/Shawnee County. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
research (2008), “human error” accounts for between 85% and 95% of the critical reason why crashes
occur.
Members of the transportation safety plan team will be on hand with displays to answer questions
and to discuss transportation safety issues with the public. A formal presentation
will be given shortly after 11:00 a.m. during the mid-day meeting and at 5:00 p.m. for the
evening meeting.
Anyone with questions about the transportation safety plan or the open house may contact Carlton
Scroggins, Project Manager, MTPO, (785) 368-3728 or visit the project website:
http://www.topekampo.org/transportation-safety-plan.html
Team Up to Clean Up Topeka is an initiative started by the City of Topeka in May 2018. City departments worked with the Historic Old Town Neighborhood Improvement Association, partnering organizations and several volunteers to clean up the neighborhood, offer assistance and provide services to the neighbors. There was an incredible amount of work that went into the Historic Old Town Neighborhood during the month of May and the accomplishments were numerous.
The focus of the Historic Old Town Neighborhood, Team Up to Clean Up Topeka effort was the area of 6th to 10th street and from Topeka Blvd to Washburn Ave. Each City department reported the accomplishments that they made during May in the neighborhood.
An interactive and full report of the projects that were completed during the Team Up to Clean Up Topeka, Historic Old Town Neighborhood can be found here: http://teamupcleanup-topeka.opendata.arcgis.com/
Here are some highlights of the projects completed during Team Up to Clean Up Topeka, Historic Old Town Neighborhood, May 2018.
Utilities Department:
o Completed preventative maintenance on 78 hydrants
o Tested water hydrants and replaced old or defective units
o Broken or damaged water meter boxes and valves were replaced
o Conducted 459 storm inlet inspections and cleanings
Transportation Operations:
o Allocated $39,836 in resources to remove 9,113 square yards of asphalt from streets to uncover and rehabilitate the brick streets
o The city will now assess and address the sidewalks and driveways for ADA compliance
o Traffic replaced 345 signs and posts
Planning and Development Services
o The Planning Department and Development Services division dedicated a Zoning Inspector to identify and address issues
o A brick sidewalk survey was completed to evaluate the conditions of sidewalks in the area Forestry
o Removed nine trees and clear 17 alleys of vegetation.
Property Maintenance Department
o Dedicated over 210 staff hours in the neighborhood and worked with Topeka Police and Fire to address safety issues
o Issued over three hundred citations that included housing, weed, sanitation and vehicle citations
Fire Department
o Walked door to door to hand out applications for free smoke detector installations, which were donated by the Red Cross and installed by the Topeka Fire Department
o Hands Only CPR instructions were offered throughout the neighborhood
o Developed a plan with the Property Maintenance Division to address vacant or previously burned structures.
Police Department
o Officers worked to address concerns in the neighborhoods such as vacant structures, suspicious vehicles and traffic enforcement
Community Engagement Division
o With the help of 25 volunteers, over 10 partnering agencies and neighbors, various organizations and volunteer groups, the Community Engagement division of the Department of Neighborhood Relations used a walking tour and hosted a meeting to share information and offer assistance and resources for the Team-Up to Clean-Up Topeka initiative in the Historic Old Town neighborhood.
o The Rock the Block Trash Pick-Up activity took place in the intensive care area of the neighborhood and was comprised of 4 volunteers that worked collecting disposed debris from streets, alleys and the yards of neighbors. Other groups spent approximately 10 hours of time dedicated to cleaning up alley ways from debris and objects.
o Community Engagement partnered with the Topeka Habitat for Humanity to identify potential projects in a Walk-n-Talk activity around the intensive care area of the neighborhood. The partnering organizations identified a homeowner and property that qualified for the assistance in reconstructing a front porch, which took 8 volunteers approximately 8 hours to complete.
The Kansas Gas Service donated housing numbers for homes that did not have them and Westar Energy upgraded the neighborhood street lighting with LED lights.
Team Up to Clean Up Topeka, Central Park neighborhood is the next neighborhood to have a targeted effort throughout the months of July and August.
For further information on partnering with the City for Team Up to Clean Up or for a list of partners involved please contact Sasha Haehn Director of Neighborhood Relations at (785) 368-3711 or sstiles@topeka.org .
The City of Topeka water treatment plant has been noticing higher than normal levels of chloride in the Kansas River. An excess of chloride in the water means that there is higher levels of salt than normal in the water at this time. The water is in compliance with all standards under the Safe Drinking Water Act. It has been determined that the water with high levels
of chloride is coming out of the Smokey Hill River which feeds into the Kansas River west of Topeka. The source of the chloride in the Smokey Hill River is unknown at this time.
The City has received inquiries about contaminated water at the Goodyear and Frito-Lay plant on the morning on June 14th. After speaking with a Goodyear representative it was determined that the contamination that they are experiencing is high levels of Chloride (salt) which they cannot use for their production.
There is no primary drinking water maximum contaminant level for chloride. However there is a secondary drinking water standard of 250 mg/L which is a guideline and not enforceable by the EPA. These secondary standards regulate contaminants that may cause cosmetic or aesthetic effects. We have been in contact with Region 7 of the EPA which has confirmed that we are in compliance with all drinking water regulations.
Currently the chloride level in the Kansas River is at 286 mg/L. We did record a reading of 316 mg/L on June 12th, 2018. The previous high level which had been recorded was 300 mg/L in October of 1994.
The elevated levels of chloride in the water is not an emergency and customers do not need to seek an alternative water source. The water leaving the treatment plant complies with all requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act. Due to the high level of salt contentcustomers that are on a restricted salt diet may want to consult with their physician.
The two technologies currently available to remove chloride are reverse osmosis and electro-dialysis. Currently the City of Topeka treatment process is not designed for desalination given the fact that we draw our water from the Kansas River.
The City of Topeka Utilities Department is dedicated to providing clean and safe water to every customer. We will continue to keep you, the customer, informed as we move forward.
Topeka’s drinking water is currently experiencing an issue with taste, odor and color.
All of Topeka’s water comes from the Kansas River and occasionally the river has unusually high levels of organic matter which can cause taste, odor and color issues. These organic substances are not harmful to health and the tap water remains safe to drink.
The Utilities department has tested for algal toxins which resulted in a non-detect level at multiple sites throughout the distribution system.
The water is currently being treated by the City of Topeka’s multiple barrier water treatment process. The City of Topeka will continue to monitor levels of taste, odor and color in the drinking water and will post an update if there are any changes to the condition of this issue.
In the last five days the Utilities Department has had thirteen complaints on taste, odor and color. Historically these taste, odor and color issues last for several days and then dissipate.
Anyone wanting additional information about this event is encouraged to contact the Utilities Water Systems General Manager Jack Mason 785-368-1966.
The City of Topeka, the Department of Justice and Washburn University will be hosting a
Department of Justice Program on Strengthening Police and Community Partnerships on June 8th.
For the past several months a planning committee, made up of several diverse community members, has
been working on putting together the SPCP program. The day long program will be composed of two
large group sessions and two break-out sessions where Topekan’s can talk about their relationship
with the Topeka Police Department and issues in their community. For the morning session the small
groups will identify issues in the community. Once those issues are identified, the small groups
will be discussing solutions to the top five problems identified in the morning.
“Washburn University’s Criminal Justice and Legal Studies Department is honored to work with the
Topeka Police Department, the Department of Justice, and local community members in their efforts
to improve community and police relations,” said Dr. Ryan Alexander, the Criminal Justice and Legal
Studies Department faculty member helping to plan the event.
During the Strengthening Police and Community Partnerships program, a council will be formed from
community members who participate in the program. This SPCP council will be working together to
advise Chief Cochran and continue community conversations in Topeka.
“I am eager to get to hear from Topekan’s about their ideas and see how this diverse group can come
up with innovative solutions to Topeka’s issues,” said Topeka Police Chief Bill Cochran. “The
council formed out of this group will be a great asset to the police
department.”
The SPCP day-long event on June 8th will be invite only. Members of the planning group are inviting
influential community members who can go out into their neighborhoods and tell their friends and
neighbors about the SPCP program and continue the work and community conversation that the program
started.
Members of the planning group include:
Melissa Masoner
Major Russell Klumpp
Joe Ledbetter
Ed Collazo
Marty Hillard
Luis Estrada
P.J. Carter
Pastor Marcus Clark
Molly Hadfield
Ben Scott
With lights flashing and sirens blaring, Topeka law enforcement and fire personnel often arrive first at emergencies, always ready to help. These local first responders will help ensure blood is available during medical emergencies by partnering with the American Red Cross for the Battle of the Badges Blood Drive Thursday, May 17, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Holliday Building, 620 SE Madison.
“The City of Topeka is excited to host another Battle of the Badges event. Last year was extremely competitive with the Fire Department winning by one donation,” said Fire Marshal Mike Martin. “We encourage everyone to come out and support the Topeka Police and Fire Departments and help save lives.”
During the blood drive, the Topeka Fire Department and the Topeka Police Department will compete to see who can recruit the most blood donors. Everyone who comes to give blood can cast a vote to determine who will win this year’s bragging rights.
“Thanks to first responders for not only keeping the community safe, but also helping with blood collection this spring,” said Susan Faler, Central Plains Blood Services Region account manager. “The Battle of the Badges Blood Drive offers a way for Topeka residents to support our local heroes and help save lives by giving blood.”
This May, during Trauma Awareness Month, the Red Cross is calling for donors to give blood regularly to be prepared to meet the needs of patients in emergency situations. According to the National Trauma Institute, trauma accounts for approximately 41 million emergency department visits and 2 million hospital admissions each year.
In trauma situations, when there’s no time to check a patient’s blood type, emergency personnel reach for type O negative red blood cells and type AB plasma because they can be transfused to any patient, regardless of blood type. Less than 7 percent of the population has type O negative blood, and only about 4 percent of the population has type AB blood.
Donors of all blood types are urged to roll up a sleeve to help meet the needs of trauma patients and others with serious medical conditions.
To make an appointment for the 2018 Topeka Battle of the Badges, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) and use sponsor code Topeka.
How to donate blood:
Simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also must meet certain height and weight requirements.
Blood and platelet donors can save time at their next donation by using RapidPass® to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, before arriving at the blood drive. To get started, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Blood Donor App.
About the American Red Cross
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit RedCross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.
The City of Topeka’s Department of Neighborhood Relations and Advisors Excel will be giving away fans to people who meet income qualifications on Monday, May 14th.
The only location for fan pick up is from 11:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, May 14th, on the first floor of the Holliday Building, 620 S.E. Madison. The fans will be distributed on a first come, first served basis.
The partnership will provide 120 box Fans to distribute, free of charge, to those who need help staying cool as the summer heats up.
“Thanks to the generosity of Advisors Excel, we’re able to help those in need this summer,” said Monique Glaude’, division director of Community Engagement. “The fan giveaway is an opportunity for the City to help our citizens find relief from the summer heat.
“Advisors Excel is thankful to partner with the City of Topeka to distribute fans to those in need. Providing simple comfort to those who may not be able to provide it for themselves.”
To qualify for a free fan, a person must be a Topeka resident at least 55 years of age or someone with a disability and have an annual income of $28,150 or less for a one-person household. Two-person households must have an annual income of $32,150 or less; three-persons, $36,150 or less; four persons, $40,150 or less; five persons, $43,400 or less; six persons, $46,600 or less; seven persons, $49,800 or less and eight persons, $53,000 or less.
Those applying must provide proof of household income, social security card and photo identification. Those with a disability must provide documentation of the disability, such as a letter from a doctor or documentation from Social Security. Because of the limited stock this year, only those applicants who come prepared with all of the identification and documents will be accepted.
For more information, call Monique Glaude’ at 368-3711.
Gov. Jeff Colyer, signed a proclamation at 10:00 a.m. Monday, April 23rd, in his office at the Capitol designating Friday, April 27, Kansas Arbor Day. The Governor will be joined by members of the Kansas Forest Service, the Kansas Arborist Association board, and City of Topeka Arborist Travis Tenbrink.
“This is an important opportunity to celebrate Arbor Day and the importance that tree’s play in our lives,” said City of Topeka Arborist Travis Tenbrink. “This is a great way to get the community involved in planting trees and we hope that it will encourage others to plant a tree on Arbor Day.”
Before the signing, the group planted a Swamp White Oak on the capital grounds at 9:45 a.m. The Swamp Oak will be the first tree of its kind on the capital grounds. It was selected to create a diversity of trees at the capital.
The City of Topeka is encouraging residents to sign up for Nextdoor, the free and private neighborhood social network, to help strengthen neighbor-to-neighbor and citywide communications. To help raise awareness for the City’s presence on the platform and to inspire residents to join, the City is unveiling a Nextdoor branded property maintenance truck that will tour Topeka.
“Topeka has always been an innovative and resourceful City. Nextdoor is another great tool we can use to help us better communicate and reach our residents,” said Monique Glaudeˊ. “We look forward to more residents joining us on Nextdoor so that we can work together to create stronger, healthier neighborhoods.”
With Nextdoor, Topeka residents can create private neighborhood networks to share information with each other, including neighborhood public safety issues, community events and activities, local services, and even lost pets. The City of Topeka launched with Nextdoor for Public Agencies in December 2013 and is using the platform to post information to residents, such as important news, services, programs, free events, and emergency notifications.
Since the City partnered with Nextdoor, membership on the platform has grown by 2200%. This increased membership and engagement on Nextdoor has successfully driven higher levels of participation in City discussions, workshops, and events. The City of Topeka asked residents if they feel more informed since the City of Topeka started using Nextdoor. Seventy-one percent of the 381 residents that responded to the poll told us that they do feel more informed since the City started posting on Nextdoor.
“We are thrilled to be celebrating the City of Topeka’s amazing use of Nextdoor to better connect with residents,” said Joseph Porcelli, Senior City Strategist at Nextdoor. “Topeka is full of wonderful neighbors and we are looking forward to welcoming more onto the platform as the City continues its efforts to engage at the neighborhood level.”
Nextdoor is free for residents and the City. Each Topeka neighborhood has its own private Nextdoor neighborhood website, accessible only to residents of that neighborhood. Neighborhoods establish and self-manage their own Nextdoor website and the City will not be able to access residents’ websites, contact information, or content. All members must verify that they live within the neighborhood before joining Nextdoor. Information shared on Nextdoor is password protected and cannot be accessed by Google or other search engines.
Those interested in joining their neighborhood’s Nextdoor website can visit www.nextdoor.com and enter their address. If residents have questions about their Nextdoor website, please visit help.nextdoor.com.
The City of Topeka is kicking off road construction projects for the summer of 2018. These projects are essential to restore roads in Topeka and to maintain them in order to keep roads in good shape for as long as possible.
“The streets in Topeka are improving and we are committed to keeping streets in Topeka in the best shape possible,” said Public Works Director Jason Peek. “The city is using new and innovative techniques to extend the life of our roads and keep them in the best shape possible while also replacing the streets that need the most work.”
The Public Works Department has been hard at work putting the city’s half cent sales tax to good use by improving streets all over the city. Two years ago, the city embarked on a new pavement management program heavy on analytics and effective processes.
The first step was to gather data. In the fall of 2016, the city hired an independent firm to gauge the condition or our streets from 0 (the worst) to 100 (the best). Poor condition pavement ranks between 0-54; Fair between 55-70, and Good between 70-100.The most effective investment for Poor condition pavement is complete reconstruction; Fair condition, major to minor rehabilitation; and Good, regular preventive maintenance.
The second step was to review various street maintenance methods and determine which ones were effective, which ones could be improve, and which ones may be missing. Following eight years of improvements, it was determine that a new method was needed to keep the good streets good. As a result the city started a micro-surfacing program that preserves the streets and keeps them in good condition for longer. Streets that are in good, satisfactory or fair condition, but not yet a candidate for a mill and overlay or replacement, are treated with micro-surfacing.
Together, micro-surfacing, the combination of crack-sealing and micro-sealing, are a cost-effective way to “keep our good roads good”. The process takes a lot less time at a much lower cost than the more extensive mill and overlay project. The City plans to micro-seal approximately 83 lane-miles this spring/summer. The same roads were crack-sealed in the fall. This fall and winter, the City plans to crack-seal between 40 and 50 lane miles of street followed in the spring of 2019 with more micro-surfacing.
Several major projects are in the works including mill and overlay and replacements of streets and intersections. Those projects can be found below.
Street crews will be working hard all summer to build the best roads for Topeka so please keep these safe driving tips in mind during construction season:
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.
Major road project details can be found on the front page of the City of Topeka’s website at www.topeka.org or at https://www.topeka.org/streetmaintenance/street-projects/ .
The major street projects for 2018 include:
SW 49th – Wenger Road to the RR Tracks – Project #701027.00
Start Date: March 5, 2018
Completion Date: July 13, 2018
Details: This project will transform a rural two-lane unpaved road into a Concrete, 3 lane section, 41 ft. industrial road, with curb and gutter.
SW 29th and Burlingame Intersection
Start Date: April 30
Completion Date: Nov. 9
Details: The intersection will be removed and replaced.
SW 21st and Kansas Avenue Intersection
Start Date: April 23
Completion Date: Nov. 2
Details: The intersection will be removed and replaced.
SW Arvonia Place/Huntoon Street/I-470 Ramp
Bid Opening: April 11
Start Date: May 7
Completion Date – Phase I of II: November 30, 2018
Details: This project will include complete removal and replacement as well as the relocation of the Arvonia Pl. and SW Winding Road intersection. This is a two-construction season project.
SW Gage – 21st to 25th
Bid Opening: April 24
Start Date: June 11, 2018
Estimated Completion Date: October 2018
Details: This project will include full-depth patching and a mill and overlay.
N. Vail – NW Gordon to Hwy 24 Frontage Road
Estimated Start Date: Fall 2018
Estimated Completion Date: Summer 2019
Details: The project will be a complete removal and replacement.
SE Adams – 29th to 33rd
Bid Opening: April 24
Start Date: May 29
Completion Date: November 9, 2018
Details: This project will include complete removal and replacement.
Public Open Houses for Road Projects:
A public open house for the SW 29th and Burlingame Project is scheduled from 4:30 to 6 p.m., Thursday, April 12, Countryside United Methodist Church, 3221 SW Burlingame Road.
A public open house for the Arvonia/Huntoon/I-470 Project is scheduled from 4:30 to 6 p.m., Monday, April 23, Washburn Tech, 5724 SW Huntoon, Bldg. A.
Additional public meetings will be scheduled for some projects as they near construction