Topeka ? A five-year, $100 million upgrade to the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. plant is more good economic news for Kansas’ capital city.

“It’s getting to be a good year for Topeka,” said Doug Kinsinger, president and chief executive officer of the Greater Topeka Chamber of Commerce. “Considering the economy elsewhere, Topeka is doing pretty well.”

Goodyear’s board of directors approved the upgrade on Tuesday, allowing the facility to produce a new line of tires for the mining industry.

The board’s decision came less than two months after Target Corp. announced that it will build an $80 million distribution center, employing 650 people, in south Topeka.

Goodyear, based in Akron, Ohio, employs 1,700 people at the Topeka plant. The expansion is designed to guarantee those jobs, company officials have said, but not to add any more jobs.

Topeka has been enjoying a rebound in its economy for several months, which has contributed to its overall employment health.

The Topeka metropolitan statistical area, defined as Shawnee County, had an unemployment rate of 3.8 percent in June, an improvement from the 3.9 percent in June 2001 and the 4.7 percent in January 2001.

“We’re pleased to make this commitment to our associates in Topeka and to the Topeka community,” said John Loulan, vice president of operations for Goodyear’s North American tire business unit. “This investment will allow the Topeka factory to pave the way for a new tire technology that will better serve the needs of the marketplace.”

Local 307 of United Steelworkers of America members approved contract changes last month that allowed for the expansion. After initially rejecting the proposal, union members approved the changes 842-358 in a second vote.

“The union is pleased with the board decision to invest in the plant and in Topeka,” said union member Dale Strathman, chairman for the earth mover division. “The decision speaks highly of Local 307 and its membership. They had some tough decisions to make, but they were willing to make them.”

Randy Barth, spokesman for Goodyear, said the new investments in the Topeka plant will benefit production lines for off-the-road tires and medium radial truck tires.