8 vehicles that no longer exist

British Pathe identified eight unique forms of the transportation that were very innovative in their time but no longer exist today.  Check out the video below and tell us which one you wish was still around in the comments.

Throwback Thursday: What it takes to become a snow-plow driver

We're going back to 2011 to a video we released about the training and skill snow removal requires.

Check KanDrive for the latest on road conditions

As of this morning, there are still icy spots on highways in eastern Kansas today. Drivers in these areas need to use extra caution and slow down.  To stay up-to-date on road conditions, check out KanDrive.

KDOT annual report posted

The Kansas Department of Transportation’s annual report detailing 2015 activities and achievements has been posted on the agency’s website. 

The report, “Moving Kansas Forward,” includes a progress report on the 10-year T-WORKS transportation program, highlights partnerships, provides safety statistics and offers examples of how KDOT uses technology in design, construction and traffic management.

The report also includes revenue and expenditure numbers and links to an appendix that lists projects, project selection criteria and more.

Check out what the President said about transportation last night

Below are President Obama's remarks regarding transportation in last night's State of the Union Address.

"Now we’ve got to accelerate the transition away from dirty energy. Rather than subsidize the past, we should invest in the future — especially in communities that rely on fossil fuels. That’s why I’m going to push to change the way we manage our oil and coal resources, so that they better reflect the costs they impose on taxpayers and our planet. That way, we put money back into those communities and put tens of thousands of Americans to work building a 21st century transportation system."

"None of this will happen overnight, and yes, there are plenty of entrenched interests who want to protect the status quo. But the jobs we’ll create, the money we’ll save, and the planet we’ll preserve — that’s the kind of future our kids and grandkids deserve."

Tuesday Trivia

How many public road miles does Kansas have?
A. 313, 228 miles
B. 140, 476 miles
C. 101, 323 miles
D. 59, 784 miles

The correct answer is B: 140, 476 miles.  Kansas ranks fourth nationally behind Texas, California and Illinois in number of public road miles.  About 90 percent or 126,884 miles of road are found in rural areas and the remaining 13,592 miles are in urban areas.

You can learn more tidbits like this in KDOT's recently released Quick Facts book.  Click here to check it out.

KDOT opens office on KU campus

As a means of strengthening its relationship with the University of Kansas and addressing engineer retention, the Kansas Department of Transportation has opened an office on the KU Lawrence campus.

KDOT has transferred 18 employees, including 16 engineers, from the Topeka headquarters to the Lawrence office, which opened late last month in the Bioscience and Technology Business Center on KU’s West District.

“We’ve lost a significant number of good engineers lately,” said Transportation Secretary Mike King. “Opening this office in Lawrence where all of these employees live gives KDOT an advantage in retaining engineers.”

KDOT’s Lawrence staff will include three road design squads and a bridge design squad. The squads do both design work and serve as managers on larger projects.

The new office also provides KDOT an opportunity to recruit engineering interns. It has the capacity to utilize up to four engineering students. In addition, KDOT will continue to offer summer internships in Topeka.

“This relationship provides our students with a unique opportunity for valuable hands-on experience. It’s a great benefit for our students to interact in an office setting and in our facilities with professionals who work in the field on a daily basis. This is a true win-win," said Bob Parsons, professor of civil, environmental and architectural engineering and director of engineering construction at the University of Kansas School of Engineering. 

 By leasing space in the Bioscience and Technology Business Center, KDOT will be able to maintain a presence on KU’s West District that is very accessible to students and also in close proximity to KU’s Structural Testing and Student Projects Facility, also located on West District.

"We are enthused to not only enable KDOT's recruiting and retention efforts in Lawrence, but also to support increased collaboration with KU's School of Engineering that ultimately ties the university and the state of Kansas more closely together," said G.R. Underwood, president of the Bioscience and Technology Business Center.

KDOT engineers make Google's Year In Search

KDOT's female engineers who participated in the "I Look Like An Engineer" social media campaign were featured in Google's Year in Search 2015 video.  Check it out below.