Allen County commissioners were told Tuesday they may find recompense if old U.S. 169 between Iola and the back way into Chanute were damaged as an unofficial detour.
Within a matter of weeks U.S. 169 from Minnesota Road southeast of Iola to south of Delaware Road better-known as Tank Farm Road southeast of Humboldt will be closed well into 2019 for a complete rebuild.
Wayne Jackson, KDOT official, reiterated the official detour will be U.S. 54 to U.S. 75 to K-39, a roundabout and lengthy way from Iola to Chanute. Most local motorists, and others who learn during the project that will carry on for as long as 330 working days with weather days likely a year and a half will opt for the shorter Iola-Humboldt-Chanute route.
The past three (KDOT) secretaries have been receptive to helping with unofficial detours, Jackson said, usually by paying for a portion of materials needed for rehabilitation.
But, he cautioned, the county will have to show the unofficial route had significant increase in traffic, an outcome Mitch Garner, director of Public Works, expects to demonstrate by installing traffic counters before and during the rebuild.
Jackson said the rebuild would not be a conversion to four lanes, rather it will be a nice super 2 when done.
An additional portion of the highway will be rebuilt in Neosho County, but no timeline exists for that work, which Jackson said may be three or four years down the road, maybe longer.
Darrin Petrowsky, local KDOT engineer, said the rebuild, by contract, will start no later than June 4, but the contractor wants to start about April 15, although paperwork permitting that has yet to find its way to Petrowskys desk for approval.
Realistically, were probably looking at May 1, he said.
DAVID TOLAND,
Thrive Allen County executive director, asked commissioners to consider kicking up their stipend to support economic development work done under Thrive auspices to $70,000. For several years, Iola, Iola Industries and the county each has contributed $20,000 a year.
Toland said Thrive was eager to tap into tourism lost to Allen County because of a lack of information made available to potential guests. An example: Events in Humboldt notably Biblesta were the only from Allen County listed in the state tourism guide the past two years.
Nothing from Iola, Gas, LaHarpe, Moran, anywhere else in the county, he said.
The bump in county funding none will be sought from other governing bodies would support a marketing program, including a director, with an annual budget of $75,422. He said Thrive, through cash and in-kind services, would pick up the remaining $25,422.
We have a staff of nine now, but theyre all involved with grant-funded programs, Toland said, leaving no time for tourism activities.
The program would not be city- or area-specific, he added, rather take in events anywhere in the county. The third Saturday jamboree at the Mildred Store, mentioned later, is one. It draws upward of 180 people, several coming from out-of-state, including two men from Florida who schedule visits to work on a deer lease with the Mildred event.
We have other plans, big plans, in Mildred, said Regena Lance, of the store.
