By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
The City of Great Bend is hopeful to receive a grant to make sidewalk repairs on downtown Main Street. The city applied for the Transportation Alternatives program for sidewalk repair and accessibility improvements for an estimated $800,000 project.
Great Bend Assistant City Engineer Hitha Kadiyala said she received response from the Kansas Department of Transportation that the city would be responsible for a 20% match if the program is awarded.
"KDOT requires the city to provide letters of support from businesses," said Kadiyala. "They also require passing a resolution acknowledging the availability of the required local match and funds to pay it all up front. This is a cost reimbursement program so we pay for the whole project ahead, and then we apply for the reimbursement."
A rough estimate would put the city’s match at $160,000 for the sidewalk repair on Main Street, from 10th to 17th. Funding for the project would come from the KDOT grants fund and the city’s quarter-cent sales tax fund if the program is awarded.