City Approves Upgraded Maintenance Agreement with KDOT for Buckeye Avenue

The Abilene City Commission voted unanimously Monday to approve an updated connecting links maintenance agreement with the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) for the maintenance of Buckeye Avenue.

The new agreement, which replaces a contract dating back to 1992, increases KDOT's annual payment to the city from $20,500 to $54,190 for maintaining 10.838 lane miles of Buckeye Avenue.

"The old agreement was put in place by KDOT back in 1992. It covered 10.25 lane miles at $2,000 per lane mile for an annual payment of $20,500," said Public Works Director Brad Anderson. "The new agreement will now cover 10.838 lane miles at $5,000 per lane mile."

Anderson explained that the new agreement contains updated termination provisions, noting that the contract "can no longer be ended within 30 days" and termination is "allowed only when a replacement agreement is executed." Lighting responsibilities near the interstate remain unchanged under the new terms.

Anderson indicated that the rate increase appears to acknowledge rising costs associated with maintenance operations. "It's probably just one of them situations where over time, the cost of equipment, material, everything that we do in a maintenance issue on Buckeye, just general cost of increase," he said.

City Attorney Martin addressed the Commission prior to the vote, confirming he had spoken with KDOT representatives to clarify differences between the previous and new agreements. Martin explained that provisions regarding termination "only apply to the portion that KDOT will maintain and that they're not paying us to maintain."

The Commission approved the agreement without further discussion. The maintenance arrangement covers state highway routes that pass through the city.