Shawnee County approves Maple Hill Road bridge design contract after resident raises pedestrian-safety concerns

The Shawnee County Board of County Commissioners voted 3-0 on Dec. 29 to approve Contract C545-2025 with Finney and Turnipseed Transportation and Cymbal Engineering LLC for professional design services for re‑decking and repainting the Northwest Maple Hill Road bridge over the Kansas River at a lump-sum cost of $243,000.

The measure drew public comment from a nearby resident, Myron Linewiter, who urged the county to require that engineers account for pedestrians and bicyclists. Linewiter said the bridge guardrail "comes up about to my knee" and described the risk that a distracted driver could cause a person walking or riding on the bridge to end up in the river.

Curt Neehaus, director of public works, told commissioners the project is planned as a two‑year effort — re‑decking in year one and repainting the steel superstructure in year two — and that Finney and Turnipseed were selected because they designed the bridge originally. Neehaus said Shawnee County is responsible for administering and keeping the bridge in good condition, including inspections every two years and underwater inspections when required. He explained that when a county‑line bridge receives major work, the cost is apportioned among the counties involved based on each county's total assessed value, per Kansas (KSA) statute, and that Shawnee County is pursuing concurrent negotiations with Wabaunsee and Pottawatomie counties on cost sharing.

Commissioners authorized staff to move forward with plan preparation; the motion to approve the design contract passed unanimously. County staff said funding will come primarily from the county bridges portion of the countywide half‑cent sales tax program, with a small portion from other county funds.

Next steps include plan preparation by the contracted engineering firms and continuing negotiations among the counties to finalize how construction costs will be apportioned.