HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The city of Hutchinson is back to square one when it comes to dealing with the Woodie Seat Freeway.

City Manager John Deardoff announced during Tuesday’s City Council meeting that the city was denied its application for KDOT funding that would have been used for a $6 million renovation of the freeway at Avenue A.

The proposed project would have built round-a-bouts at Avenue A and at the freeway entrance, then eliminated the Avenue B bridge, closing that portion of the east/west road.

With the proposal rejected, the city now has to weigh its options. One is to reassess the project and why the application was denied. The city could reapply for funds next year and offer more matching funds to give the proposal a better chance of acceptance by the state, or officials can go with the backup plan and renovate the two bridges and roadway. That cost is in excess of $2 million.

That would be a temporary solution for the two aging bridges and would not cure the traffic problems around Avenue A and the freeway. Deardoff says they will meet with KDOT soon and discuss the project before making a decision on how to proceed.