Contractors have restarted one major street project and plan to restart two others on
March 12 as the road construction season gears up in Topeka.
The projects are:
SW 6th – Gage to Fairlawn
Work resumed Monday, February 26, on Phase 1, which is between Gage and the east
side of the entrance to the Chalet Apartments just east of Yorkshire Rd. The first layer of
asphalt was placed at the end of the construction season last year. That section is
expected to be completed by May or June.
On March 5, the contractor closed the section between Fairlawn to just west of the
Schendel Lawn and Landscape drive, about 600 feet east of Fairlawn. That section will be
closed until May or June. Access to the area will be Fairlawn or Gage to Westchester to
SW 6th during construction at the two ends of the project.
SW 10th and SW Wanamaker Intersection
Work is anticipated to begin March 12 on reconstruction of three quadrants of the SW 10th
and SW Wanamaker intersection. Construction was halted last year at the end of the
construction season after the northeast quadrant was completed. The city’s contractor will
finish the southeast quadrant first then move to the southwest corner. The last quadrant to
be completed will be the northwest quadrant on June 15.
Traffic will be allowed through the intersection in all directions but left turns will be
restricted at times depending on the phase under construction.
Completion of the intersection will mark the last portion of a project that began early last
fall from SW Wanamaker – SW 4th to 10th.
SW 21st and SW Wanamaker Stormwater Pipe Replacement Project
Additional stormwater pipe replacement work following last year’s road reconstruction
project in the SW 21st and Wanamaker vicinity will begin March 12 in two locations.
Both construction zones will be in the westbound lanes of SW 21st and will be done
simultaneously. One work zone will be about 50 feet east of the Wanamaker intersection
on the northeast corner. The other will be between the most westward entrance to
Westridge Mall and Arvonia Place.
On the northeast corner, all east and westbound traffic will be carried in the eastbound
lanes (south side) through the Wanamaker intersection. No left turns will be allowed. That
work is expected to take three weeks, weather permitting.
At the construction zone between the mall entrance and Arvonia Place, westbound traffic
will be carried in the eastbound lanes (south side) through the construction zone. A 30-foot
section of pavement will also be replaced. Work is anticipated to be completed in eight
weeks, weather permitting.
Last construction season, during demolition of the eastbound lanes (south side) of 21st,
pipes at both locations were discovered to be dilapidated. Enough time was available then
to replace them. Time did not allow for pipes in the westbound lanes and the other
roadwork to be completed.
“Due to approaching winter weather, the pending holiday season, and considering the high
volume of traffic at one of the busiest intersections in the City, a decision was made to
open both the intersection and SW 21st St. to the west and return in the spring to replace
the pipes under the westbound lanes and finish the other work,” said Robert Bidwell,
project manager.