The 12th Street - Gage Boulevard to Kansas Avenue project involved improvements to a two-lane, one-way roadway for more than 2.5 miles through the heart of central Topeka, Kansas. The project resulted in a sizable transformation that continues to improve pedestrian accessibility and safety, including the replacement of 1 mile of existing sidewalks with 1.5 miles of new sidewalks, more than 1.5 miles of shared-use paths, a table-top intersection, and 1 mile of bike lanes.
The new roadway included a new asphalt drive lane, concrete parking, turn lanes at four intersections, curb extensions, and street lighting, which improved driver and pedestrian safety. New traffic signals were installed where 12th Street intersects with two one-way roadways, facilitating better traffic, cyclist, and pedestrian coordination. To enhance the area’s aesthetics, sodding and tree plantings were also installed throughout the corridor.
All major aspects of this planned three-year construction project were completed, and 12th Street was open to traffic in just over two years.
