Harvey County pledges $100,000 toward design for East 1st Street improvements in Newton

Harvey County commissioners voted March 25 to provide $100,000 to the City of Newton to help pay design costs for the East 1st Street paving and improvements project.

Newton officials and engineering consultant Garver LLC told the commission the work could be done in two phases. Garver estimated design and preconstruction services for Phase 1 (Spencer to about 550 feet east of Hillside) at $287,550 and Phase 2 (Hillside to Oliver) at $238,000, or $475,000 if both phases were done together.

Commissioner Becky Reimer said she was cautious about committing to construction costs but supported helping with design: "I am not ready to commit to sharing the cost of the construction but am willing to provide some funding for the design," she said. County staff framed the county participation as part of a partnership to improve a corridor that serves the Newton City-County Airport and regional traffic patterns.

City staff said the improvements would widen the roadway, add shoulders and turn lanes where appropriate and address drainage. Garver representatives laid out a draft schedule showing concept estimates by late April and a final design approved by June 2025, with construction bidding targeted in early 2027. The board approved the $100,000 contribution by motion of Commissioner Terry Scott, seconded by Commissioner Becky Reimer; the motion passed unanimously.

Why it matters: East 1st carries more than 3,000 vehicles per day east of Spencer and is a primary access route to the airport and to industrial sites east of town. County and city officials said investing in design now will help position the corridor for future grant opportunities and private development.

What’s next: The consultant will produce concept-level estimates in April and proceed with the design under the city’s agreement with Garver. The county contribution is for the design phase only; any construction cost sharing would be considered separately.