By DAVID CLOUSTON

Salina Journal

Repairs to the pavement on Marymount Road should get under way by early spring and take about six months to complete, Salina city commissioners found out Monday.

"I have two words," Mayor Luci Larson told city engineer Dan Stack, who outlined the project during the commission's formal meeting session. "Woo hoo!"

"Thank you. You know this is a critical street," Larson said. "Every time I turn around someone's asking, 'When are you going to fix Marymount Road?' So, thank you."

The proposed repair project involves more than just repaving. The city's engineering department is also working on a design to narrow the road, which is about 40 feet wide, in order to construct a five-foot-wide sidewalk along the west side of the street, from Iron Avenue to where it connects with an existing sidewalk closer to Crawford Street. South of Crawford Street, there is already a sidewalk on the east side of the street.

"The addition of sidewalks will be great for the neighborhood," Commissioner Aaron Peck said.

The $1 million project is to be funded from the city's capital improvement budget and funds set aside for arterial sidewalk additions and reconstruction. Two-way traffic is expected to be maintained during the project, Stack said.

Also, the intersection of Marymount Road and Glen Avenue will be part of a project next year to improve storm drainage, Stack said.

Zoning approved

Commissioners Monday also gave first-reading approval to a zoning application and a redrawn plat creating an expanded campus for the Salina Community Theatre. The theater is adding a 9,300-square-foot addition to its 1,080-square-foot building at 303 E. Iron.

Commissioners also directed city staff to determine if more parking is needed, and what the timeline for adding parking would be.

There was a lengthy discussion about the parking issue prior to the vote on the application. The theater's proposal is to add 87 spaces. That's still below current building code for the existing campus, which is 115 spaces. If the square footage were applied, the requirement would jump to 156 spaces, City Manager Jason Gage said.

Zoning the theater campus to a planned development district will give commissioners the ability to adjust the total number of parking spots required. Theater staff have said that 87 spaces would be adequate and that the added black-box theater created with the new addition would not hold events simultaneously with the main theater.

In other business, commissioners:

n approved an architectural services contract with DMA Architects for $157,000 for new construction and remodeling of Fire Station No. 1, 222 W. Elm.

n approved a resolution authorizing a renewal agreement with CVS Caremark for prescription benefit services for city workers.

n approved a change order for a manhole and wastewater pump station rehabilitation project to Mayer Specialty Services, in the amount of $39,450.

n Reporter David Clouston can be reached at 822-1403 or by e-mail at dclouston@salina.com.

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pet project says....
I guess the mayor only turns around and talks to the "hill" people.
That pavement will last a long time being it is concrete.
The City of Salina is wasting this money for a select few. Voice your displeasure to the city if you agree.
11/25/2009

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Informed Individual says....
Luci Larson -- How is this a critical street? Last I checked the road serves less than 20% of the population or do you mean it is critical to those who are well off financially? Why didn't you save that money and have it appropriated for snow removal of streets in areas where the vast majority of people live? Thats right they are not well off financially.
11/24/2009

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jrr says....
What's critical about it?If you want to see a rough street look at Quincy by Saint Mary's.Put salt on it again and see how it rides.
11/24/2009

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