HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The City of Hutchinson is taking another shot at a KDOT grant that would help pay for a major reconstruction of the Woodie Seat interchange with Avenue A.
The Hutchinson City Council will be asked to approve a contract with WSP USA to file a supplemental application for the project during Tuesday’s agenda session. The cost to the city is $18,478. The city tried to get funding for the project last year but was turned down. Though the city lost out on the funds, a debriefing with KDOT convinced officials to try again.
The project would include building roundabouts at Avenue A and Adams and at the interchange with Woodie Seat Freeway. From there, the road would incline over the two sets of railroad tracks before continuing on its normal route. The proposal would eliminate the two aging bridges at avenues A and B and would close Avenue B at that location.
The proposal has been met with some opposition from residents in the area who do not want to see Avenue B closed at the overpass and others who simply don’t like roundabouts. If the city gets the funding, the state would pay about $6.9 million of the $8.7 million price tag.
Tuesday’s meeting of the Hutchinson City Council begins at 9 a.m. and will be streamed online.