Topeka unveils downtown digital kiosk pilot with vendor contract pending

Topeka officials presented a plan to install four 55-inch outdoor digital kiosks as a two-year downtown pilot, saying the units will support wayfinding, promote local events and carry emergency alerts while operating at no net cost to the city.

"Each of the kiosks…are ADA compliant," said Ali Williams, senior management analyst in Public Works, describing adjustable font, audio guidance, high-contrast display and multilingual support in English and Spanish. Williams said kiosks would include environmental sensors, an AI assistant, the capability to pay for parking and an emergency panic button that would alert law enforcement.

Public Works Director Steve Groen said the city issued an RFP in May, selected a vendor in June and is finalizing contract terms. "We're probably still a few weeks out from having the contracts finalized," Groen said, and the vendor indicated it would begin site scouting in the coming weeks. Williams estimated devices could go live about four months after contract execution, projecting a February 2026 operational date if the contract is signed shortly.

The vendor’s maintenance and security commitments were a central point in the presentation. Williams said the vendor guarantees next-business-day maintenance within 48 hours for routine issues and 24/7 emergency support with two-hour remediation for highest-priority incidents. She emphasized that "no personal data is stored by the system." She also described a revenue model that guarantees a minimum $7,500 per kiosk per pilot year to the city and a city share of advertising gross revenue; the city will reserve 12% of screen time for city communications.

Council members asked about advertising rules and who may use reserved screen time. "We will reserve the 12% for city communications," Williams said, adding the vendor will prioritize local events and local advertisers. Deputy Mayor asked whether the city or local partners could place revenue-generating ads; Williams said local priority and reserved city time would guide placements. Councilwoman Miller asked about pricing comparisons to other advertising and was told rates had not been finalized and more details would be provided after the contract is complete.

City staff said locations will be coordinated with downtown stakeholders and neighborhood groups and that security-camera placement and panic-button protocols will be worked out with law enforcement once a contract is signed.

The governing body did not vote on the kiosk at the meeting; staff said they will return with final contract details and site assessments once the vendor contract is executed.