Motoring Mondays: The Stauth Musuem

The Stauth Memorial Museum is located in Montezuma

The Stauth Memorial Museum is located in Montezuma and features exhibitions on history, art, science and more.

The museum presents the personal travel excursions of Claude and Donalda Stauth in the exhibition, Around the World.

In addition, the museum also offers special exhibitions and galleries, highlighting different features from renowned sources, both national and international, in the natural world.  

From hunters and conservationists, to those curious about history or science, the museum offers something for everyone, because it is full of information on natural wildlife and the world around us.

There are many exhibits at The Stauth Memorial Museum

The museum is open Tuesday-Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Sundays from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Visit Stauth Memorial Museum today for a more in-depth look at this acclaimed Kansas museum.

Two KDOT projects named regional winners in America's Transportation Awards Competition

Two major Kansas Department of Transportation projects that were completed in Overland Park and Lawrence last year were announced yesterday as regional winners in the 2017 America’s Transportation Awards competition.

An aerial view of the Johnson County Gateway I-35 and 95th Street Diverging Diamond Interchange. The JoCo Gateway tied for first in the "Operations Excellence, large project" category at the America's Transportation Awards.

KDOT’s Johnson County Gateway Phase 2 project, the first and largest design-build transportation project completed in Kansas, tied for first in the “Operations Excellence, large project” category. The K-10 South Lawrence Trafficway East Leg was selected the regional winner in the “Operations Excellence, medium project” category. Both projects will now be considered for inclusion as national finalists to compete for the Grand Prize and the People’s Choice Award.

An aerial view of the South Lawrence Trafficway at the Haskell Avenue Interchange in Lawrence. The SLT was the regional winner in the "Operations Excellence, medium project"  category at the America's Transportation Awards.

“These well-deserved awards are a testament to the excellence of Kansas highways,” said Gov. Sam Brownback. “Our state highway system is one of the best in the nation, and Kansas will continue to see the benefits from these projects for years to come as they serve commuters and facilitate commerce in vital economic corridors for the state.”

Transportation Secretary Richard Carlson said, “I am proud of the hard work and dedication demonstrated by KDOT professionals to help make these projects successful. From the beginning of the planning process to a project’s completion, our staff is committed to pursuing excellence every step of the way, and the Johnson County Gateway and South Lawrence Trafficway were no exceptions. These projects are great examples of KDOT’s commitment to providing a highway system that meets the needs of Kansans.”

Aerial view of the I-35/I-435 Interchange two-lane flyover. The JoCo Gateway tied for first in the
"Operations Excellence, large project" category at the America's Transportation Awards

“Every project nominated in this competition represents the hard work and dedication of state DOTs across the country to meet the transportation needs of the communities we serve,” said David Bernhardt, president of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials and commissioner of the Maine Department of Transportation. “For 10 consecutive years, the America’s Transportation Awards have given state DOTs the recognition they deserve for providing the essential connections that keep people, goods and our economy moving forward.”

An aerial view of the South Lawrence Trafficway. The SLT was the regional winner in the "Operations Excellence, medium project"  category at the America's Transportation Awards

The Johnson County Gateway project included reconstruction and capacity improvements within the I-435, I-35 and K-10 interchange area along with improvements at several major local interchanges. Within the project area, there were 56 new lane miles added as well as 22 new and five rehabilitated bridges, including three new two-lane flyover bridge ramps and widened bridges on I-435 and I-35.

The South Lawrence Trafficway East Leg included construction of a new four-lane, six-mile freeway around the east side of Lawrence, connecting the existing K-10 with the new highway. Construction work included 24 bridges, 29.4 highway lane miles, 16.3 miles of local roads and three new interchanges.

The America’s Transportation Awards competition is celebrating its 10^th year and is sponsored by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, AAA and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Work Zone Wednesday: Scrub seal completed on K-51 in Morton County



A crack is shown on K-51 before the repair work.

K-51 in Morton County from the Kansas/Colorado state line east to the K-51/K-27 got a face-lift with a scrub seal followed by chip seal in June. According to Syracuse Construction Manager Larry Meyer, this was the first scrub seal project completed by District Six and only the third scrub seal completed in Kansas. 

The project was completed in just six days by Mid America Road Builders Inc. out of Platte City, Mo., at an approximate cost of $230,000. The work took six days to complete. 

Here is the crack after the asphalt emulsion oil is sprayed on the highway.

During a scrub seal, an asphalt emulsion oil is sprayed on the roadway and then “scrubbed” into the cracks with an emulsion scrub broom. Then a light-weight cover material is applied and rolled into the surface.  This is followed by a chip seal. 

Meyer was very impressed with this process as the scrub seal forced the asphalt material into the cracks sealing them better than the conventional sealing operation. In addition, the cracks were almost completely full after the chip seal on top of the scrub seal. 

The crack is filled after the scrub broom pushes the material into it..

Motoring Mondays: The Old Mill Museum Complex and Wild Dala Horses

Old Mill Museum located in Lindsborg - Courtesy Image

The Old Mill Museum Complex and Wild Dala Horses are located along The Prairie Trail Scenic Byway in Lindsborg.

The Old Mill Museum offers the opportunity to experience a roller mill in its original condition from the early 20th century. The Mill is open all year, Monday-Saturday: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Wild Dala Horses PC: Jim Richardson of Small World Gallery.

For more information on the Mill, visit The Old Mill Museum.

 Lindsborg’s historical downtown is decorated with Wild Dala horses. They are dubbed one of the “8 Wonders of Kansas Customs” and created by local artists with inspiration by the traditional Dala shape. The horses are creatively named, such as, Hello Dala! And Fala the Dala Brick Road.

To see what people are saying about this popular Kansas attraction, visit Wild Dala Horse Herd, Lindsborg, Kansas.

Reminder: Speed Limit Enforcement Blitz this weekend

TOPEKA, Kan. – The Kansas Department of Transportation has partnered with law enforcement agencies across the state to launch a tough new speed enforcement blitz statewide. The intensified enforcement effort against speeding drivers underscores the severity of the problem in cities and towns across Kansas.

“Speeding greatly reduces a driver’s reaction time,” said Chris Bortz, KDOT Traffic Safety Program Manager. “A speeding driver puts everyone on the road at a greater risk of a crash.”

On average in Kansas, 25 percent of fatal crashes are speed-related. Nationwide, speeding was a contributing factor in 27 percent of all fatal crashes, leading to more than 9,500 deaths, according to the latest data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

During campaign from July 21-23, officers will intensify enforcement of posted speed limits on Kansas roads, highways and interstates, targeting and ticketing speeding drivers.

“We’ll stop and cite anyone caught speeding—especially in construction zones and on interstates—where most of our speed-related crashes occur,” said Lt. Adam Winters with the Kansas Highway Patrol.

As speed increases, the severity of crashes increases, leading to a rise in fatalities and/or serious injuries. According to NHTSA, a crash on a road with a posted speed limit of 65 miles per hour or greater is more than twice as likely to result in a fatality than a crash on a road with a speed limit of 45 or 50 miles per hour, and nearly five times as likely to result in a fatality than a crash on a road with a speed limit of 40 miles per hour or below.

“On the drive to zero fatalities, you are in the driver’s seat,” Bortz said.

Work Zone Wednesday: Bridge Repairs on K-196 in Butler County

Work is underway on K-196 to upgrade and replace bridges in Butler County. 

On Feb. 27, the Kansas Department of Transportation began to upgrade/replace Dry Creek Bridge, Whitewater River Bridge and Diamond Creek on K-196 in Butler County. The bridges are located between Northwest Diamond Road/K-196 Intersection and Northwest Tawakoni Road/K-196 Intersection between the City of Potwin and the City of Whitewater.

All three original bridges have been torn down and pouring of the bridge deck for the eastern bridge began last week. 

 

Currently, all three original bridges have been torn down and removed. Project grading and seeding has been completed on each of the bridges and crews are focusing construction efforts from the east bridge to the western bridges. Pouring of the bridge deck for the eastern bridge began last week. On the western bridges, the contractor is driving piles and working on pier construction. Despite the early spring rains, the bridge replacement project is still scheduled to be completed and reopen the highway to unrestricted traffic by late November 2017, depending on delays due to adverse weather conditions.

The bridge replacement project is expected to be be completed and reopen to traffic by late November 2017.

 Until the highway is reopened, through traffic will continued to be affected by the bridge replacement project with the closure of K-196 and will be routed on an official state detour which will direct traffic through K-254 to I-135 instead of K-196.

King Construction Company from Hesston is the prime contractor for this $2,726,000 project, which is funded by T-WORKS, the transportation program passed by the Kansas Legislature.

100 Deadliest Days

Summer may be halfway over, but there are still more than 50 days left of the most dangerous time of year for new teen drivers, ages 16-17.

As we enter the mid-point for the what American Automobile Association of Kansas (AAA Kansas) calls the “100 deadliest Days,” the Kansas Department of Transportation wants to remind drivers of all ages that fatal teen crashes are on the rise. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, (NHTSA) in 2015, the number of teen drivers involved in fatal crashes increased by more than 10 percent from the previous year.

One of the starkest nationwide trends that AAA Kansas found was new teen drivers are three times more likely than adults to be involved in a crash.

KDOT’s crash data says that drivers between the ages of 15-19 years old were involved in 11,348 crashes in 2015. Of those crashes, there were 2,732 injuries and 40 teen casualties.

According to AAA, three main factors contribute to these crashes:

Distracted Driving: Not paying attention to the road ahead is a huge contributing factor in teen crashes. According to AAA, 6 out of 10 crashes were the result of distracted driving.  The main distractions for teen drivers are talking with friends and using their cell phones while driving.

Not Using a Seat Belt: Teens who use their seatbelts are more likely to reduce their risk of being seriously injured or dying in a car crash. According to the latest data, 60 percent of teens who were killed in a car crash were not buckled up.

Speeding: Driving over the speed limit was a factor in nearly 30 percent of fatal teen crashes.

There are many ways that we can encourage inexperienced drivers to travel safely.

Talk about safe driving: Simply talking about how to stay safe behind the wheel can be one of the best ways to ensure a young driver remembers key safety tips.

Lead by example: Drivers of all ages should remember that they are being observed by teens and kids who will one day take to the road in vehicles of their own. Experienced drivers should minimize risky behavior while driving, so novice drivers can learn what being safe behind the wheel looks like. Parents or guardians, create a parent-teen driving agreement like this one from AAA Kansas, that sets family rules for teen drivers.

If every driver practiced safe driving skills while behind the wheel, the 100 Deadliest Days could be the 100 Safest Days for teen drivers.

Motoring Mondays: Cow Chip Throwing Capital, Russell Springs

Since 1955, Russell Springs has featured an annual cow chip throwing competition. Competitors from around the state gather to take part in the contest, which includes men’s, women’s and junior’s classes as well as politicians and VIP classes.

The event is part of the community’s Old Settlers’ Day celebration that also includes a parade and a junior rodeo.

  The Cow Chip Throwing Contest happens annually on Labor Day Weekend.

Participant in the Cow Chip Throwing Contest in Russell Springs

Winners of a previous Cow Chip Throwing Contest

Work Zone Wednesday: Rebuilding after the fire

The grass has grown back, but the guard rail posts that
were burned in the fires are missing.

In March wildfires burned more than 400,000 acres in Clark County, killing livestock, destroying homes and threatening the community of Ashland. KDOT crews pitched in, closing roads and helping wherever they could.  Today, almost four months later, fences have been repaired, signs replaced, wheat cut and pastures are green again.

 Much still remains to be done, though, including guard rail replacement and repair in 17 different locations along K-34 and U.S. 160 in Clark County.  Many of the treated wood posts holding the guard rail were more than 30 years old and they burned quickly, leaving guard rails literally hanging by a bolt or two.  Some of the locations require guard rail replacement or repair on just one side of the road, but many require replacement on both sides.

 Collins & Hermann of St. Louis, Mo., is the contractor on this $325,000 project. 

Above and below, work is underway to replace the guard rail and the posts.

Emergencies happen: How to stay safe on the side of the road

During these busy summer months, you may encounter a stranded motorist on the side on the road or experience a disabled vehicle yourself. Blown tires and engine troubles are a fact of life while traveling. If you find yourself in either of these situations, the Kansas Highway Patrol has some tips to keep you safe.

If you experience a road side emergency and need to pull over do the following:

• Park your vehicle as far off the busy roadway as possible.

• Turn on your four-way emergency flashers (hazard lights).

• Stay in your vehicle until help arrives, especially at night or in inclement weather.

• If someone stops, crack your window and ask them to phone the police for assistance.

• If you must leave your vehicle along the highway, notify the police, sheriff or KHP of its location and the circumstances.

Remember, one of the best ways to prevent a roadside emergency is to maintain up-to-date maintenance on your vehicle.

What to do if you see someone who has a disabled car on the side of the road.

According to KHP, your personal safety is of utmost importance. If you see a stranded motorist on the roadside, do not stop your vehicle.

Instead, it is recommended that you call the KHP, or if you are traveling on the Kansas Turnpike, the Kansas Turnpike Authority and explain to them where you saw the stranded motorist. Here are the numbers below:

*47 to reach the Kansas Highway Patrol

*KTA (582) while on the Kansas Turnpike

If you don’t have a phone, proceed to the next gas station or rest area to reach the numbers above.

Remember: If the vehicle’s emergency flashers are on, give them room. Slow down or move over if you can to avoid injuring the motorist or crashing into their stalled vehicle.

Visit the KHP’s Motor Assist Program to learn more about staying safe in a roadside emergency.

Want to know if your travel plans will be impacted by a crash or highway construction? Visit Kandrive.org for Kansas Highway Conditions.

Share your roadside emergency stories with us in the comments. How did you stay safe?

Motoring Mondays: The Kansas Firefighters Museum & Memorial

Kansas Firefighter Museum & Memorial located in Wichita - Courtesy Photo

     The Kansas Firefighters Museum & Memorial is located in Wichita and was created for the purpose of honoring the legacy of Kansas firefighters.

     It is also dedicated to bringing awareness to firefighter history and offering opportunities for people to participate in a program on staying safe in case of emergencies.

     The Firefighters Museum was the original old Engine House No. 6, the last station to operate using horse drawn stations in 1917. It was refurbished into a museum in 1993.

     The museum is also home to the state firefighter memorial, Kansas Fallen Firefighters Memorial, dedicated to honoring the memory of Kansas firefighters who died in the line of duty.

     The museum is open Saturdays from 11 a.m., to 3 p.m. or by appointment.

To schedule your visit today or learn more this museum, visit Kansas Firefighters Museum.

 

Touch a Truck event provides fun for all ages

The Touch a Truck event hosted more than 1,500 children and families and gave them a chance to experience a variety of important vehicles in person. 

More than 1,500 children and families had the chance to see and experience 30 vehicles on display at the Touch a Truck event last Saturday in Finney County. The event, which was hosted by the Finney County Public Library, hosted 24 organizations, including the Kansas Department of Transportation.

KDOT employees from the Garden City Sub Area stand in front of a KDOT dump truck.

The event kicked off with the arrival of the Life Team helicopter and included lunch for those attending and volunteers.  People of all ages seemed to enjoy seeing the vehicles up close. Children who attended the event interacted with KDOT vehicles by honking the horns and exploring the equipment. 

Young children explore the inside of a KDOT vehicle during the Touch a Truck event held in Garden City on July 1. 

Lisa Knoll, the KDOT Public Affairs Manager for Southwest Kansas, said that KDOT crew members answered questions and taught visitors about how the vehicles are used and how they help keep Kansas moving in various situations.

"The first thing most kids did was go straight for the loader," Knoll said. "They were intrigued with sitting in the loader and they loved honking the horn. We also showed them the dump truck.”

Knoll said that KDOT would love to participate in an event like this again if the opportunity arises. 

Work Zone Wednesday: Safe Routes to School in Erie

Crews place new sidewalk pavement along Webster Street. The work will continue for several blocks north to Erie Elementary School.

In early May crews from  RFB Construction of Pittsburg began making sidewalk improvements in Erie. The project includes the reconstruction of existing sidewalk sections, the addition of new sidewalks along several streets, ADA ramps, and new curb and gutter. The federal Safe Routes to School program is funding 80 percent of the $207,796 construction cost, with the remaining 20 percent matched by the city.

Crews place new sidewalk pavement along Webster Street. The work will continue for several blocks north to Erie Elementary School.

The Safe Routes to School projects in Erie and other cities throughout Kansas are part of KDOT’s Transportation Alternatives Program.

Travel, celebrate Independence Day Safely

Many Kansans are planning to hit the road and celebrate the Fourth of July with family and friends. The Kansas Department of Transportation and the Kansas Highway Patrol encourage travelers to plan ahead and make their trips and celebrations as safe as possible.

Nationally, AAA is projecting that 44.2 million Americans will travel during Independence Day weekend, with 3.34 million of those in this region. This year is projected to be the most-traveled Independence Day holiday ever. Cheaper gas prices are likely a contributing factor to the high number of holiday travelers, with airfares and car rental rates also lower than our last Independence Day.

“AAA would like to remind drivers to be sure their vehicle and the passengers are road trip ready,” said Jennifer Haugh, AAA Kansas spokesperson. “Eliminating distractions and impairment, plus buckling up, will help motorists avoid tragedy.”

KDOT and KHP remind travelers not to drink and drive. Law enforcement agencies from across the state will be actively watching for impaired drivers.

“As travelers take to the highways throughout the holiday weekend there are steps they can take to make it to their destination safely,” Kansas Highway Patrol Lt. Adam Winters said. “Any time you ride in a vehicle, buckle up and make sure children are in the appropriate child safety seats. For those planning to drink over the weekend, designate your sober driver before you celebrate. We want people to enjoy the festivities, but we also want them to be safe.”

Before travelers pack their cars, they can check their route for delays or construction with the help of KanDrive at www.kandrive.org, which can also be accessed from mobile devices. KanDrive includes camera images and interactive maps, as well as links to rest areas and travel and tourism sites.

Much of the same information can be accessed by calling 5-1-1 in Kansas or 1-866-511-KDOT (5368) in the U.S.

If you are involved in a crash or need assistance on a Kansas highway, call *47 (*HP) from a cell phone for a highway patrol dispatcher, or if on the Kansas Turnpike, dial *582 (*KTA). 

Motoring Mondays: The Stone House

The Stone House is a suburb home turned art gallery located in the heart of Fredonia.

Built in 1872, the Stone House is considered the oldest house in Fredonia.

Now, it is operated by the Fredonia Arts Council and is a beautiful monument from the late 19th century, complete with vintage stone walls and even stain glass windows built by a local artist.

The Stone House features art from across Kansas, from local pieces to regional exhibits.

There is also the opportunity to purchase secondhand items at the gift shop.

    

A more recent addition to the Stone House is the Brick House Studio located behind the building where art classes are offered.
The Stone House is open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday through Friday.

To learn more about the history and happenings at the Stone House, visit The Stone House Gallery.