Stimulus Money To Benefit Hugoton Streetscape

A $1.5 million economic stimulus award for the city of Hugoton will benefit its downtown area and save the city more than $300,000 in planned spending.

The business district streetscape project will upgrade and beautify the area of downtown Hugoton centered on the intersection of U.S. Highway 56 and Sixth Street and will include upgrades such as new trees, sidewalks and pedestrian benches.

The scenic project is one of 14 transportation enhancement projects appropriated by the Kansas Department of Transportation’s $11.4 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 funds.

Prior to the availability of stimulus funds, city officials were hoping to acquire a KDOT grant that would require the city to fund 20 percent of the total project costs itself.

The benefit of stimulus funds, however, will save the city nearly $315,000 in those costs.

The total projected cost for the city of Hugoton with the use of stimulus funds is now a little more than $166,000, which includes site survey and design fee costs, according to the city clerk’s office.

The streetscape beautification project extends on Main Street from Fifth to Seventh Streets and on Sixth Street, from Jackson to Monroe.

New concrete sidewalks with paver accents, ADA ramps, new trees with metal grates, new street lighting and wiring, underground sprinklers and mid-block pedestrian crossings are just some of the remodeling plans.

Construction on downtown could begin as early as next year, following a bid-letting process that must be completed by March