Douglas County approves HNTB NEPA contract for Walker Vista Drive extension

Douglas County commissioners on May 13 authorized an engineering services agreement with HNTB to complete a National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) environmental assessment for the proposed Walker Vista Drive extension, a project county staff has been planning for years.

County Public Works staff member Chad Voigt told the commission the selected alignment threads between a golf course and the Wakarusa River, crosses land controlled by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and "is being recognized as offsetting cost and local cost share" for the South Lawrence Trafficway. "As far as cost goes, we are looking at $277,000 for this task," Voigt said, describing HNTB as the firm chosen to prepare the NEPA-level assessment and public documentation.

Why it matters: The extension is intended to improve north–south connectivity and emergency response in the county’s southwest quadrant and to provide an alternative to the Corps-managed dam road, which is periodically closed and subject to weight limits. Voigt said the alignment was chosen to minimize impacts to wetlands, private property purchases and bridge length.

What staff said: Voigt said the Corps has required a NEPA environmental assessment because portions of the route cross federal property. He described the Corps’ review as likely to include cultural-resources surveys, threatened-and-endangered-species documentation and public and interagency review. "If something is found," Voigt said, "then we would be changing our approach to the project." He also told the commission the county has about $10.8 million set aside in the CIP for the project and that the NEPA work would consume roughly 45% of currently budgeted engineering funds.

Public concerns: Dozens of speakers urged caution during the public-comment period. A commenter who identified only as Dominique said the extension could spur development and expressed concern about damage to wetlands and cultural resources. Tyler Moore, who identified himself as Haskell alumni, urged the county to consult tribes and not repeat the impacts the South Lawrence Trafficway caused. Several speakers asked how tribal consultation and cultural-resource work would be handled; Voigt and staff said the Corps will publish the environmental documents and lead tribal notification and consultation as part of its NEPA process.

Next steps and conditions: Voigt said the Corps will publish two 30-day public-comment periods during the assessment, and county staff plan to return to the commission with results this winter. Commissioners approved a motion authorizing the board chair to execute the HNTB agreement with a maximum cost not to exceed $276,835.12; the motion passed unanimously.

The county will proceed with the NEPA work and public engagement; if the Corps’ assessment finds unacceptable cultural or environmental impacts, the county could be required to change or abandon the project or pay KDOT a cash amount instead of building the road, as described in the interagency agreements.