A stretch of Nall Avenue in Roeland Park is looking at $1 million worth of improvements.
The Roeland Park City Council on Monday approved a $99,400 task order for the design, bidding and construction phase services for a Nall Avenue project between 51st and 58th streets.
The project is receiving $660K of federal funds
- Roeland Park, through the Mid-America Regional Council, submitted an application for a federal aid program called the surface transportation block grant.
- The grant provides funding to municipalities or states for roadway improvements, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation website.
- Roeland Park asked for 80% of the funds needed for the project, or about $734,000, and received about 90% of that request, said Public Works Director Donnie Scharff.
No bike lanes are part of the task order
- The project, which is anticipated to cost $1 million for design and construction, includes repaving the road as well as sidewalk and curb repairs.
- It will also include signage for Share the Road, known as “sharrows,” but not actual bike lanes — even though bike lanes are included in the city’s bike infrastructure strategy plan along Nall Avenue.
- That’s because the road is too narrow for dedicated bike lanes and there is limited right-of-way space along some parts of Nall Avenue, according to the city.
- A majority of the homes on that stretch of Nall are also too close to the street, and driveways would need to be reconstructed, to which any changes would increase the cost of the project significantly.
The city will ask residents for input
- Scharff said, in response to a question from Councilmember Jan Faidley, that the city will look into what the addition of “sharrows” means for on-street parking.
- Councilmember Tom Madigan said residents on Nall already complain about only being able to fit two cars in their driveways, and should be involved in any futures conversations about parking.
- Faidley also asked about widening the sidewalk along that stretch of Nall for a shared-use path in an effort to achieve Complete Streets items.
- City Administrator Keith Moody said the city can look into it, but noted that this work is being funded through a grant that specified “sharrows” — not moving the curb line.
- Moody also said that residents and neighbors will have a say in the project just as they have in past road projects, such as ones along Elledge and Reinhardt drives.
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