The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-04-29
TO HELP Topeka
City Planning Board to Begin
on improvements.
City Commission Will Furnish
Funds for Work.
TOTAL OF So, 1000 IS NEEDED
First Project Will Be Straight
ening of Shunganunga.
To Make Eighth Avenue Into
CrOss-City Traffic Way.
TOTAL OF $1,000 IS NEEDED

CFOSSsClty franc way
"Our hands have been tied until we
could secure funds to proceed" Rob
ert Pierce. president of the planning
board said today. This planning
board is not to be just talk and theory.
We're in earnest about doing things
for Topeka. When the city commits
sion has allowed US the fund we will
ask today. we expect to have a profess
sional city planner come to the city
and begin Immediately on the Topeka
PLAN"
To Widen Shunganunga Creek.
The pushing of all projects contem-
plated, such as the Strengthening and
widening of Shunganunga creek and
cross-city traffic way and highway
to connect with the Nfort-to-fort con-
crete highway and other matters be-
fore the board, will depend largely on
to be employed, as to how the said
projects will fit into the Topeka
| Plan" Pierce said.
To Make Traffic Way on Eighth.
! The making of Eighth avenue into
| the traffic way and connecting high
way would give travellers a short cut
thru the heart of Topeka, thru what
is probably the most attractive part
of the city. 1t has been urged by
motor car dealers. the Topeka Auto
mobile club, and the Topeka Railway
company for several weeks. j. S.
| Longshore, member of the local auto
mobile club represented the various
motor and civic interests in present
! ing the suggestion to the city planning
| board.
| If the Eighth avenue traffic way
project is carried out, the street car
service will be eliminated from that
street permanently. At present the
street car company has permission of
| the public utilities commission for
temporary suspension of service. The
| traffic way project would require a
! high grade of resurfacing, Pierce said
| He expressed himself in favor of the
plan, but said that any definite action
toward it would be delayed until the
working out of the Topeka plan"
Patten Favors Plan.
| Albert Patten of the street railway
| company has expressed himself in IA
vor of the plan, particularly because
it would relieve the congestion of traf-
fic on Kansas avenue.
| W. L. Porter, secretary of the plan
! ming commission, said that the making
| of Eighth avenue into a traffic way
would have a number of assets for
| Topeka. 1t would not only relieve
traffic on Kansas avenue, but would
eventually help congested conditions
| on Sixth avenue, would put the city in
connection with the important fort to
| fort highway. and would display in
! the best way to tourists the beauties
of Topeka. The state house, the high
school. Gage park, the state hospital,
| Grace cathedral, Bethany college and
other features of the city would be on
| the traffic way.
The city planning board passed a
resolution at a meeting today asking
| the city commission for $4,000 as the
beginning of a fund on which the city
planning projects may be developed
The resolution will be presented to the
| city commission at the next regular
| meeting on Tuesday.
| While it is probable that the city
| commission will not object to placing
| that amount in the hands of the COM
| mission, slight reluctance has been eX-
| pressed by certain commissioners in
| the matter. F. L. Stevens, commits
sioner of finance and revenue, would
not give assurance that the money
would be forthcoming, but said that
| effort would be made to provide the
fund, after the commission had de-
cided whether the procedure was legal.
Funds for Planning Work.
| Robert Pierce, president of the
| planning board, quoted the recently
passed city planning law of the state,
| which gives ample authority to the
commission TO finance lHe
| commission. 1t is known that sur
plus of $4,000 remained from city
funds last year, and that, according to
the law, as much of that amount as
the city chose may be placed in the
hands of the planning commission.
| Mayor Corwine and other members
of the city commission had given as
surance when the planning commits
sion was newly organized that there
would be no difficulty in securing
funds fer the work.
Commissioner Hancock suggested
that the finances of the planning COM
mission be handled as a debt, to be al
/ lowed in the making of the next. city
budget. but the other planning board
members objected to the plan.
/ Mayor Does Not Approve Plan.
zone thing do not think is exactly
i right about the amount of money
asked by the planning commission is
that it is providing for an outside en-
/ gineer to come to Topeka at a high
rate and tell US what to do" Mayor
Corwine said. IT do not think that
i everyone will approve of spending
money that way"
| Othe6 members of the board pointed
out that Topeka does not have an ex-
pert city planner and that it is neces-
sary to employ an outsider. If To-
peka's city plan is to be what is de-
sired, 1t must be made by the expert,
it was explained.