Commission OKs Union Pacific agreement after railroad cost estimates push Magnolia Trail over grant expectations
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Summary
Facing higher than expected railroad crossing costs, the commission authorized a Union Pacific agreement for the Magnolia Trail pedestrian crossings and box‑culvert extension, accepting a railroad estimate of roughly $241,397 plus flagging and $805 annual maintenance, and preserved the project's KDOT Transportation Alternatives grant.
The commission authorized the interim city manager July 14 to execute an agreement with Union Pacific Railroad to perform work on railroad right‑of‑way for the Magnolia Trail pedestrian crossings at Belmont Boulevard and Magnolia Road.
City Engineer Jim Kowach described the project as widening a box culvert and constructing a 10‑foot multiuse path from Ninth Street to Ohio on the south side of Magnolia Road. The project previously secured a Transportation Alternatives grant from KDOT; however, railroad coordination required substantial revisions. "Because these two crossings met some threshold for being so far apart, the railroad is adamant that they have to replace the tracks and the rail and the ballast and stuff in between them," Kowach said, describing how initial pedestrian‑crossing estimates rose from a modest amount to roughly a quarter‑million dollars once the railroad required track work.
The commission approved the agreement in a motion that included authorization for approximately $241,397 payable to Union Pacific for the railroad work plus required flagging and an annual maintenance payment of $805, with the railroad required to acknowledge that future maintenance obligations are subject to Kansas cash‑basis budget law. The agreement passed on a 5–0 vote.
Why it matters: the Magnolia Trail project addresses pedestrian and bicycle connectivity near schools and businesses and was designated a safety priority in the city’s Safe Streets for All planning. Staff said the railroad requirement increased the project cost but that proceeding preserves the KDOT grant and the trail connection.
Next steps: the city will execute the agreement with Union Pacific, budget the railroad payment and flagging expenses, and proceed to construction; staff and the railroad will finalize scope and scheduling. Kowach noted the city has already incurred design and right‑of‑way costs for the project.
