Hillsboro awarded $400,000 grant for streets

Written by Don Ratzlaff Tuesday, 07 February 2012 17:21

The city of Hillsboro received word late last month that its application for $400,000 in grant funding through the Kansas Department of Com­merce has been fully approved.

The money will be used to make improvements to portions of Birch and Cedar streets, including pouring new curb and gutter, reducing the center crown and adjusting water flow for better storm drainage.

City Administrator Larry Paine did not speculate on a starting date for the project. Now that the city knows the funds have been approved, it will authorize the final engineering for the project. Once that is completed, construction bids can be solicited for final selection.

Paine said the city benefitted twice from a survey of residents living along First Street to determine the percentage of low- and moderate-income households. The survey helped secure funding for that street-replacement project, but the funding also qualified as the city’s cash-match requirement for the KDOC grant for Cedar and Birch.

“We’re incredibly lucky to have the ability to use one set of money twice,” he said.