Weather permitting, access to businesses along North State Street will be much easier in the near future.
Crews worked Tuesday morning to pour concrete along a new sidewalk, that will run from Cofachique Park to the south side of the Walmart parking lot — approximately 4,000 feet.
Assistant City Administrator Corey Schinstock said the work has been moving slowly due to cold temperatures, but Street Superintendent Dan Leslie’s crews have been taking advantage of warmer temperatures recently.
“Basically it’s weather permitting, but it’s moving along OK,” Schinstock said.
When the Iola City Council approved the sidewalk, it was on the basis that crews would work on it “whenever possible.” Schinstock said other priority projects may slow the walkway’s progress; that is why he is reluctant to put a finishing date on the work.
Following the construction through the park, the City of Iola will need to garner easements from business owners along the side of State Street, for permission to construct on their property. While it will require some red tape, Schinstock said the easements should be easy to get, considering the benefit a sidewalk could have to the businesses.
“I don’t know why they (the business owners) would be against it,” he said. “It’s only a benefit to them.”
Schinstock said he and Leslie discussed the termination point of the sidewalk, and hope to end it with a handicap ramp on the south side of Walmart’s parking lot, although an easement will be required for that section as well.
The cost for the materials is approximately $65,000, Schinstock said, not including the time spent by city crews. They will continue working on pouring concrete as long as time and weather allows.
“It definitely looks nice, they are doing a good job,” Schinstock said. “They can pour a lot of sidewalk, as long as the weather holds up.”
