By Vivienne Uccelo
Public Information Officer, Manhattan
The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) announced earlier this month that the City of Manhattan will receive the maximum state award amount of $2,897,774 to fund a portion of the North Campus Corridor project.
This portion of the North Campus Corridor project will improve 2,422 lane feet of Kimball Avenue between College Avenue and Denison Avenue, and construct a new frontage road to the north. Kimball Avenue will be widened and a protected median will be added to improve safety.
“That is a critical project for the full functioning of NBAF,” said Senator Tom Hawk. “Progress and hiring to open NBAF is on schedule and this North Campus work is critical for full functioning of NBAF and the area around it. Our community and the state has invested heavily in this $1.25B Federal Facility and this cost share program will certainly facilitate the full operation of NBAF, movement of traffic, and job creation in this section of Kansas.”
The City of Manhattan will be responsible for a $5,000,000 cash match to fund the remainder of this portion of the project. Kansas State University is also participating in funding for the North Campus Corridor Project. The University will contribute $10 million over the next 20 years and K-State Athletics will contribute $3 million toward developing infrastructure in the North Campus Corridor.
“KDOT’s Cost Share Award for the North Campus Corridor infrastructure recognizes the significance of this strategic development not only to the local Manhattan community but to the State of Kansas,” said K-State President Richard Myers. “North Campus Corridor is attracting and leveraging a concentration of talent, research, physical assets, workforce training, and innovative industries related to animal health, food safety, and biosecurity. The many entities collaborating within the North Campus Corridor have the capability to generate solutions for many challenges impacting the world today. We appreciate KDOT’s support with these infrastructure improvements that are critical for us to help the state with future growth in this area.”
An average of 20,000 vehicles travel the Kimball Avenue corridor every day, according to at 2014 traffic study. The North Campus Corridor (NCC) project will expand the major roadways near K-State University and the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF): Kimball, Denison, College, and North Manhattan Avenues. Kimball Avenue serves as the arterial roadway connecting Kansas Highway 113 and U.S. Highway 24 to NBAF.
Improvements in the area will include lane widening, traffic signal and crosswalk innovations, pedestrian walkways, medians, bus stops, bicycle infrastructure improvements, as well as streetscape and lighting enhancements.
Work in progress on College Avenue is expected to be complete by the end of August. The intersection of College and Kimball is also nearing completion and is expected to reopen completely later this fall.
Find information about active projects in Manhattan including the North Campus Corridor project online at www.cityofmhk.com.
The mission of the City of Manhattan is to sustain order and protect public safety, promote public health, preserve the built environment, and enhance economic vitality. The city supports a regional community in which individuals and families develop and thrive. More information about the City of Manhattan is available online at www.cityofmhk.com, on Facebook at /Cityofmanhattan and on Twitter @cityofmhk.