Topeka urges KDOT to prioritize Port Quincy Viaduct East; staff outlines Wanamaker/Huntoon options

Deputy Mayor Braxton Copley told the Topeka City Infrastructure Committee on April 15 that city officials plan to press the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) to prioritize two projects at KDOT’s local consults: the Port Quincy Viaduct East (PQV East) and a corridor improvement study for Wanamaker Avenue at Huntoon and the I‑70 ramps.

Copley said the next round of KDOT local consults in Topeka is scheduled for Oct. 9 at 9 a.m., and that city representatives should attend breakout sessions to voice local support. He said KDOT makes final decisions based on engineering judgment but does consider local input presented at those consults.

PQV East: large reconstruction, 10% city placeholder

Copley described PQV East as a continuation of the PQV West work currently under construction. PQV East would begin at Fifth Street (where PQV West ends), follow the curve to Indiana, replace seven bridges, eliminate two bridges, relocate downtown parking to the west side of Monroe, and include geometric improvements at Adams Street to improve merging and turning movements. The project would include complete reconstruction of the Sixth, Eighth and Tenth Street bridges and work on bridges over BNSF and other crossings.

City staff said an estimate prepared two years ago placed the total project cost at about $185,000,000. KDOT typically asks municipalities for a 10% local share; the city has a placeholder of $18,600,000 in 2028 in the CIP. Copley and council members cautioned that KDOT has not authorized design or construction and that the 2028 schedule is optimistic: design and bidding could be pushed to 2029 or 2030 if selected.

During questions, a KDOT engineer, Steve Baumann, said bridges are inspected every two years and that KDOT would determine whether a bridge requires rehabilitation, reconstruction, weight restriction or closure based on engineering inspections. Baumann confirmed that one separate bridge project — the California Bridge — is being fast-tracked by KDOT and planned to be built under traffic in 2026 while I‑70 is closed; that particular project is strictly KDOT-funded.

Wanamaker/Huntoon corridor: safety and capacity study

Copley also reviewed a high-level study of Wanamaker Avenue from Huntoon to Westport that assesses safety and future traffic operations. Staff said current north–south legs at Huntoon operate at roughly level-of-service C while east–west legs operate at E; crash rates at the study intersections exceed statewide averages. The study modeled no-build conditions and three build alternatives: a traditional intersection expansion (additional turn lanes and signalization), a diverging-diamond interchange (DDI) alternative (which would convert part of the corridor to one-way eastbound and include a roundabout at Westport), and a reduced-conflict intersection (RCI) that restricts certain left turns and routes traffic via U-turns.

Estimated costs for the alternatives ranged from about $12.5 million (traditional) to $14.8 million (DDI) and $13.6 million (RCI). The consultant’s comparative scoring favored the DDI for overall operations, safety and constructability, though several council members questioned traffic-volume projections and urged value engineering before committing to a high-cost alternative. Council members also asked about construction phasing and impacts during holiday traffic; staff said construction would likely occupy at least one full construction season and possibly spill into a second, and the city tries to avoid lane closures during the peak holiday shopping season.

Why it matters

PQV East is an expensive, long-term reconstruction the city says would correct multiple bridge deficiencies, increase traffic capacity, improve safety, and reduce long-term maintenance. The Wanamaker/Huntoon work addresses projected future congestion and elevated crash rates at critical ramps and intersections.

Next steps

City staff asked committee members and other governing-body representatives to attend the KDOT local consult on Oct. 9 to advocate for PQV East and the Wanamaker/Huntoon alternatives and to coordinate with KDOT and FHWA on cost-sharing if the projects are selected.

Quotes

"They are going to make their ultimate decision based on engineering judgment, but they do take into consideration input at the local consults," Deputy Mayor Braxton Copley said.

"At some point, that bridge will be inspected every two years. And then if warranted, weight restriction or closure would happen," KDOT engineer Steve Baumann said about aging bridges in the PQV corridor.

Ending

City staff said they will follow up with KDOT on project lists for the local consults and return to the committee with updates before the Oct. 9 session.