Approved April lettings include work on I-70 in Gove County

Construction on I-70 in Gove County was one of the projects approved in April's construction lettings. 

Work on a nine-mile portion of I-70 in Gove County from one mile west of the K-23 spur near Grainfield to four miles east of K-211 is one of the projects included in KDOT’s April construction letting.

The I-70 project will be completed in three phases starting in 2018 with the construction of crossovers, temporary guardrail and other features necessary to carry head-to-head traffic. The eastbound pavement will be reconstructed in 2019, followed by the westbound portion in 2020.

Additional work will include pavement replacement at both the east and westbound rest areas near Grainfield, construction of new barbed wire right-of-way fencing, lighting installation at exits 95 and 99, and reconstruction of the box structure carrying county road 62 under I-70 into two new span bridges.

To see all of the April letting projects, click here.

New Kansas Bicycle Map available

The 2018-2019 edition of the Kansas Bicycle Map is now available. Whether you’re looking to ride a bicycle from one county to the next or across the entire state, this edition has a lot to offer for those planning a short trip or a long ride.

“This map is a great resource for those who are already familiar with cycling in Kansas and for those who are interested in trying it for the first time,” said KDOT’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator, Matt Messina. “It’s full of resources and information that will help people plan ahead to find a route that suits their needs, make connections to our state byways system, and even discover bikeshare programs.”

Some of the newest features to this year’s map include existing Kansas bikeshare programs; the 2016 and 2018 routes for the annual Biking Across Kansas (BAK) events; the East-Central Kansas Gravel Routes inset, where riders can learn about and explore some of the state’s off-road cycling routes in the Flint Hills and Osage Cuestas regions; and information on navigating roundabouts appropriately.

All state and local roadways where bicycles are permitted are color-coded by traffic volume and indicate where paved shoulders exist. No traffic volumes are shown on the map on Interstate routes as cycling on Interstates in Kansas is against the law.

Maps are available free of charge and can be requested by emailing bikeped@ksdot.org or by calling (785) 296-7448. For more information on cycling in Kansas, please visit www.ksdot.org/bikeped.

U.S. 50 east of Dodge City named in honor of two local heroes

Family and friends of Sgt. Gregg Steimel and Pfc. Richard Conrardy attend a memorial sign unveiling ceremony at the Dodge City KDOT Subarea Shop

The Kansas Department of Transportation, Kansas state Sen. John Doll and the Dodge City Area Chamber of Commerce hosted a ceremony on Saturday, April 21, to designating a six-mile section of U.S. 50 east of Dodge City as the Sgt. Gregg Steimel and Pfc. Richard Conrardy Memorial Highway.  

Sen. Doll introduced legislation earlier this session requesting that this section of U.S. 50 be renamed in honor of the Wright natives, who were both killed in combat in July 1970 in Vietnam. For his service and heroic actions, Sgt. Steimel was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart.  Private Conrardy was posthumously awarded the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart and a National Defense Service Medal.

Family and friends of Steimel and Conrardy were joined by local and state legislators, the Dodge City Area Chamber of Commerce and local KDOT staff for the ceremony, which took place at the Dodge City KDOT shop.

KDOT hosts open houses to showcase transportation efforts and job opportunities

Secretary of Transportation Richard Carlson climbs into a KDOT dump truck during a open house event, which took place at the Concordia Subarea last friday. 

An open house event took place last Friday at the new Concordia Subarea.  The event was attended by current KDOT employees, retirees and the public.  Secretary of Transportation Richard Carlson, Catherine Patrick, State Transportation Engineer and Larry Thompson, Director of Operations, made the trip to north central Kansas for the event as well.

Several local dignitaries attended the open house including State Senator Elaine Bowers and Concordia City Manager Amy Lange.

A KDOT employee helps a member of the public at the KDOT open house and job fair event in Hutchinson, which took place on April 13. 

Earlier this month, The KDOT district in the south-central part of the state sponsored an open house and job fair in Hutchinson. 

Several crews brought out equipment for the public to explore, and Human Resources representatives were on hand to talk to people about jobs across the 18-county district. 

“We wanted to bring the public out to help them see that there are real people behind the orange cones — people who want to go home to their families at the end of the day,” said Public Affairs Manager Deb Gruver, who organized the event as part of National Work Zone Awareness Week. 

A child sits inside KDOT equipment at the open house and job fair event held in Hutchinson on April 13.

KDOT rides along with the Kansas Highway Patrol

KDOT took a ride with Master Trooper Neil Stanley on April 20 to teach others
about the importance of driving sober and to learn what its like to be a trooper. 

There is a popular saying that encourages others to walk a mile in someone else’s shoes, so you can understand what their world is like.  Last Friday, we decided to trade in shoes for a Kansas Highway Patrol vehicle when we got a chance to experience a day in the life of a Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper with Master Trooper Neil Stanley. 

Our goal was to ride along at the beginning of the drugged driving enforcement and tweet about our experiences as they happened. One of the biggest messages that Stanley hopes people will understand is impaired driving isn’t just limited to alcohol. He said if there is any substance being used that can impair your driving, it is something that could result in an arrest and have a license revoked.

While on the ride, Stanley explained how KHP officers rely on both their observation skills and radar technology to determine how fast drivers are going.  While a few of the stops were to enforce the speed limit, there were several instances where Stanley was able help stranded and lost drivers.

As we rode along, it was obvious that there is still a lot of work to be done when it comes to encouraging drivers to slow down and move over when emergency vehicles and highway crews are on the side of the road.

Graphic of a KHP vehicle crash last year.  Give them room. 

During a stop where Stanley was assisting a person towing a boat, vehicles whizzed by at high speeds. Stanley said he wants the public to understand that when you are going that fast you have less time to react if something unexpected happens. He gave an example of a highway worker who trips into the road. If someone is going faster than the speed limit, people can get hurt.  

While we didn’t encounter any drugged driving during our short ride, we had the opportunity to see and feel what it is like sitting in the front seat of a patrol vehicle. The life of law enforcement officers, emergency responders or highway workers can be challenging. They need to be ready for the unexpected at any moment.

The next time you are out on the road and you see a Highway Patrol Trooper don’t overreact, just drive normally, slow down and give them room to work. And if you ever get the chance, be sure to thank them for what they do. Just like highway workers, their job can be dangerous and at the end of the day they also want to see their loved ones.

KDOT and the KHP will ride together again next month, stay tuned on our twitter page: www.twitter.com/KDOTHQ

Kansas joins five other states in drugged driving enforcement

We are going to be a little blunt: If you drive high, you can kiss your driver’s license goodbye. Driving while under the influence of drugs is not worth it.

From Friday, April 20, through Sunday, April 22, the Kansas Highway Patrol and local law enforcement agencies will join five other states in a three-day, high-visibility enforcement targeting drug and alcohol impaired driving, among other traffic safety issues. Other states involved in the initiative are: Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma.

In Kansas last year, there were 461 fatalities on the roadways, and 20-percent of those involved a drug impaired driver. The purpose of this high-visibility enforcement is to decrease impaired driving on our roadways.

According to the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA), they found a 12-percent increase in the relative risk of a fatal crash after 4:20 p.m. on April 20^th, compared to the same time intervals on other days.

KHP’s Drug Recognition Experts (DREs) and Breath Alcohol Unit (BAU) will be assisting with enforcements across the state. Citations may be issued to any individuals who refuse to obey traffic laws, whether for impaired driving, speeding, seat belt violations, or others. If an individual refuses to submit to a blood test, a search warrant can be obtained for their blood.

Overtime for this enforcement is being funded through the Kansas Department of Transportation, RAVE (Roving Aggressive Violators Enforcement) and the Fatality Reduction Grant.

DUI roadside memorial marker unveiled

Gov. Jeff Colyer stands with  Barby Jobe, Robin Thornburg and Doug Thornburg stand beside the Lost to DUI Roadside Memorial, which honors their children who died in a a drunk driving crash in 2011. 

The first DUI Roadside Memorial Marker in the state was unveiled on Monday, April 9 at the KDOT office in Ellsworth. The new Lost to DUI memorial markers are a part of the Kyle Thornburg and Kylie Jobe Believe Act that was approved by the Kansas Legislature and signed by former Gov. Sam Brownback in 2016.

The Kyle Thornburg and Kylie Jobe Believe Act honors these two students who were killed on March 23, 2011.  Jobe and Thornburg were returning to Wichita from a Colorado ski trip during spring break.  They were both killed in a crash on I-70 when a 27-year-old man entered the interstate going in the wrong direction and hit them head on.  He was also killed and was later found to have a blood alcohol level of .23, almost three times the legal limit.

At the request of Barby Jobe Myers (Kylie’s mother), former Rep. Mark Hutton brought forth legislation to create and install roadside signs to memorialize victims of drunk/impaired driving.  “We hope the memorial markers encourage people to reflect on the innocent lives lost to someone driving under the influence.  We also believe the signs will create an awareness about personal responsibility and an understanding that some choices have consequences that affect more people than just themselves,” said Jobe Myers.

The legislation established and implemented a DUI memorial signage program on highways under the Secretary of Transportation’s jurisdiction that are not city connecting links.  A memorial marker was designed with a unique logo symbolizing the cycle of life and an individual thumbprint with the title, Lost to DUI.  Below that, the names and ages of victims lost to a drunk driver are listed.  The marker for Jobe and Thornburg stands at the scene of the crash at mile marker 210 on eastbound I-70.

Remembering those whose lives have been cut short because of drunk driving may not bring the victims back, but we can honor their memory and work to raise awareness about the dangers and consequences of driving while intoxicated. 

For more information about the memorial marker program, please visit: https://kdotapp.ksdot.org/MemorialMarker/index.aspx

Antique bridge is being retired in Wilson County

This old metal bridge, which previously spanned the Fall River on Wilson County’s Granby Road, can be seen alongside the work zone where a new bridge is under construction.

A few miles west of Neodesha on Granby Road, crews are working to build a new bridge over the Fall River. To the side of the work zone sits the old truss bridge that is being replaced with a modern structure.

King Construction Company is the primary contractor on the project, funded under the Off-System Replacement Program.

The old bridge is a Pratt through truss that had been in service on Granby for over 100 years – since 1914, to be exact. Introduced in 1844, the Pratt truss style was designed by Thomas Willis Pratt and his father Caleb Pratt. Pratt truss bridges use a triangular design with diagonal members that slope toward the center of the bridge. When a vehicle crosses the bridge the diagonal members feel tension while the vertical components experience suspension. The overall condition of this Pratt truss was rated ‘poor’ and the bridge had posted weight limits.

The old Pratt through truss bridge was built in 1914.

King Construction Company, Inc., of Hesston is contractor on the bridge replacement at a construction cost of $888,000. The structure qualified for replacement under the 2017 Off-System Bridge Program. The new bridge should be finished and open to Granby traffic later this year.

KDOT launches Red Thumb Challenge for National Distracted Driving Awareness Month in April

 The Kansas Department of Transportation is launching the Red Thumb Challenge to raise awareness of the risks of distracted driving. Throughout April, everyone is invited to participate by simply painting a thumbnail red and sharing their support of the initiative on their favorite social media platform using #RedThumbChallenge.

“Every single day, you see it on the roads. You notice someone veering into your lane or driving slower than everyone else, only to see that driver looking at their phone and not focusing on the road,” said Chris Bortz, KDOT Traffic Safety Program Manager. “Distracted driving has no place on our roadways. Not only are you putting you and your passengers in jeopardy, but you’re endangering others as well.”

By painting a thumbnail red, it serves as an instant reminder not to text while driving. Participants are encouraged to challenge everyone they know who gets behind the wheel to take the Red Thumb Challenge pledge.

Distracted driving is an increasing danger - since 2011, vehicle crashes in Kansas known to be related to cell phone distractions have increased by 31 percent, and fatalities have doubled. In 2016 alone, 633 car crashes were the result of a cell phone distraction. Of these, 267 people were injured and seven people were killed.

In addition to the Red Thumb Challenge, KDOT has created a special lock screen image to download on cell phones. The signature red screen reminds users not to use their phone while in motion.

Bortz continued, “Whether you’re male or female, teen or adult, all are invited to take a stand against texting and driving by participating in the Red Thumb Challenge.”

To join the challenge, post an image of your red thumb with the hashtag #RedThumbChallenge on your favorite social media platform. For the Red Thumb Challenge lock screen, other participation tools and more information, please visit @DriveSafeKansas on Facebook.

Is it really worth it?

By Jeff Barnes

Jeff Barnes
Vice President of Venture Corporation

We are all in a hurry.  We live in an instant gratification society.  We want what we want, and we want it now.  We have cell phones, Google, texting, the internet, Facebook, Snapchat and many other ways for instant communication.  When it comes to travel we have fast cars.  And we don’t want anybody to slow us down.  Who doesn’t get irritated at that driver in the left lane going 2 mph slower than you and they won’t get out of your way?  This probably costs you 30 seconds of your time.  Is it really worth the aggravation?

Work zones are another area that can aggravate drivers.  Slowing down to 55 mph on the interstate seems like such an inconvenience.  Driving 55 mph rather than 75 mph through a 10-mile work zone on interstate costs you less than three minutes.  Is three minutes really worth a speeding ticket, or causing an accident, or worse yet hitting a worker?  Is it really worth the risk?

A bigger inconvenience involving work zones is when you encounter a flagger and have to wait on a pilot car.  I know it seems like an eternity, but the maximum wait time in the pilot car line is 15 minutes.  KDOT (and the public) do a good job of monitoring our pilot car cycle times.  If we get over 15 minutes, we hear about it and must change our process.  Pilot cars are necessary when the road is narrowed to one-lane traffic.  A potentially dangerous area of a flagging zone is approaching the flagger.  I have seen some terrible wrecks because somebody wasn’t paying attention and didn’t stop in time and hit a stopped car.  Please be patient at the flagging zone.  It isn’t the flaggers fault.  Is it really worth the risk of a crash?

I’m Jeff Barnes, Vice President of Venture Corporation.  I have been building roads for 34 years.  We are making the roads you drive nicer and safer.  Please slow down and get where you are going.  My workers have the right and the expectation they will go home to their families each night. 

                                                                             

 

A nutty, but still serious day

Jeff Romine and his grandson.

        My name is Jeff Romine, I am currently the Area Superintendent in Area Five (Wamego). I have worked for the Kansas Department of Transportation for 35 years.  I started out as an Equipment Operator in 1983. 

        Safety has been improved for KDOT employees and for the public a great deal since I first started working for KDOT. For example, I can remember having to set up six signs when setting up a work zone, three on each side.  Now, depending on the situation, there may be a combination of 10 signs, cones and rumble strips to alert traffic of a pending work site.
        During my tenure at KDOT, I have seen many close calls ranging from cars hitting the flagman’s flagging paddle to the mirrors of cars striking workers in the work zone. I have been lucky enough not to see any deaths as a result of a work zone crash, although there have been some.
        One of the crashes that stands out in my mind happened in the summer of 1986 on U.S. 75. We were providing traffic control while Equipment Operators using equipment cleaned bridge decks. All our work signs were up and flagmen in the correct locations. 
        I was helping to provide traffic control, it was a clear mid-morning day. I stopped a van to allow for traffic to pass through from the other lane. I then moved closer to the center of the roadway and checked for other oncoming traffic.
        I noticed a car that seemed to be moving faster than I considered to be safe. I realized he was not slowing so I tried to get his attention by waving the paddle as there was still traffic coming from the other direction.  
        I alerted the driver of the van of the oncoming car and I was forced to jump over the guard rail and into the ditch. The car hit the van from behind, causing the back of the van to bust open. The van was carrying a load of bagged walnuts.  Immediately the highway was covered with walnuts. I ran back out to check on the drivers of both vehicles, thankfully finding them not severely injured. 
        As other vehicles continued in the other lane they were running over the walnuts causing them to shoot through the air, this of course caused another danger as the walnuts pounded workers and other cars.
        I can laugh about it now and joke that 32 years later, walnuts still haunt me. But the seriousness of that situation will never be funny. An adult could have been in the back of that van. Or a child. And they could have been injured, or worse.
        Please drive safe in work zones and protect everyone – motorists and highway workers.

                                                                                                                              

 

Target on my back

Bruce Winkle

By Bruce Winkle, Highway Maintenance Foreman

        I’ve been with the Kansas Turnpike for 39 years. And in that lengthy tenure, I’ve come to the conclusion that I must have a target on my back. I’ve had the unfortunate pleasure of my vehicle being struck on the roadway not once, not twice, but seven times. One time is too many, so seven is a pretty scary number.

        The first time I was struck was 30 years ago on Christmas Eve where a van driving in freezing fog hit the back of the dump truck I was on, causing a nine-car pileup with injuries. That’s not exactly the best way to start my track record.

        Then, throughout the years, I’ve had several minor incidents. You know the story - someone who doesn’t move over for those work lights on my truck ends up clipping my mirror, the back of a truck, or an extension of our paving machine. While they weren’t serious accidents, just a few inches further, and I could be writing a different story.

        But, the worst incident, and my most recent one, ended in tragedy. During an ice storm, I was assisting a woman who had slid off the road into the ditch. I was standing in front of my truck with the lights on watching for oncoming traffic so I could re-enter my vehicle. I saw an oncoming vehicle, who was driving too fast for conditions, lose control and slide in my direction. In that moment, I had to make a split-second decision to either run to the ditch or run to the barrier wall, and the ditch ended up being my path. The car struck the back of my truck with the driver’s side, slamming my truck about 60 feet forward and unfortunately, killing the driver instantly. If I hadn’t moved out of the way when I did, I would have been killed as well.

        Being a part of a moment like that was devastating, and it’s a moment that will always stay with me.

        Please, I cannot urge drivers enough, slow down for the conditions and move over when you see maintenance vehicles. And stay off the cell phone! It is probably one of the worst hazards I have seen.

        Just because there aren’t cones on the road, those lights still signal a work zone. Move over.

 

Preventable crashes

My name is Technical Trooper Chad Crittenden. I am the Public Resource Officer for south central Kansas. I have worked for the Kansas Highway Patrol for 17 years and have been stationed in Sedgwick County my entire career.  I have responded to thousands of preventable crashes over the years, many of which resulted in injuries or fatalities.

Motorists underestimate how dangerous it is to drive a car. They hop in, start the car and head to their destination, failing to understand how important it is to follow a few simple steps on the road: buckle their seat belt, obey the speed limit and not drive distracted. I see firsthand what happens when avoidable human error behind the wheel occurs. Many lives are affected during and after a crash.

As we drive on Kansas roadways, we encounter a lot of construction and maintenance zones. Though these zones are an inconvenience to some, they represent improvement and safer roadways in Kansas. But remember, the road is also “another day at the office” for maintenance workers and first responders. They put their lives in the motoring public’s hands every day, trusting they are attentive and aware.  We expect motorists not to drive distracted, drunk or even drowsy. Please don’t violate our trust.

When you see the next work zone ahead sign please remember: watch for workers, obey the traffic laws and please put the phone down. These easy steps can ensure our workers go home safely at the end of their shifts.

 

Too many close calls to even remember



KDOT employee Brian Link and his family.

        My name is Brian Link. I have worked for KDOT for 17 years and am currently the Area Supervisor for Johnson County. During my time I have seen numerous crashes in and out of work zones. I personally have been struck two times on separate occasions while providing traffic control for maintenance operations.

        The first time occurred while I was sitting on the shoulder in a dump truck with an arrow board. I was struck from behind by a car that was involved in a crash with another vehicle. My truck and I just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

        My second crash happened while we were patching potholes with a mobile lane closure. I was in the attenuator truck following the patch crew. The car that hit me had passed two other KDOT trucks on the shoulders stationed behind me to give advanced warning of the patching operations.

        I was fortunate not to sustain any injuries from these crashes: although the people who hit me did suffer minor ones. These are just two examples of my personal experiences, but I have had too many close calls to even remember them all.  I try not to tell my wife about them all, as I do not want to worry her more about the danger that we face every day at work.

        I think the biggest concern for me is even with all our lights, traffic control and advanced warning; our safety is in the hands of the citizens that travel the road every day. We rely on them to drive undistracted, not under the influence of drugs or alcohol, alert and to have their brain engaged and focused on the task of driving.

        I sometimes feel the citizens driving do not see us as people with a family. A family we love and want to go home to. Furthermore, we are objects in their way obstructing their busy schedule, a nuisance that causes them to be delayed.

        I want people to know that we are there providing a service to maintain the safety of the roadway. We have a job to do serving the citizens of Kansas and visitors to our great state. Give us a brake…pay attention, slow down and give us a lane.

 

2018 National Work Zone Awareness Week

Starting Monday, April 9, and running to Friday, April 13, new blogs will be posted each day as part of our National Work Zone Awareness Week series. Highway workers, contractors and law enforcement will share stories highlighting why work zone safety is so important.

Thanks for reading and sharing these blogs to help improve safety in work zones.

Also, Go Orange is on Monday, April 9, so please wear orange to show your support for everyone who works along the roadways. Orange lights will also be on all week at the following locations:

• KDOT District offices in Topeka, Salina, Norton, Chanute, Hutchinson, and Garden City, as well as several KDOT Area offices
• Governor’s Mansion in Topeka
• Amelia Earhart Memorial Bridge in Atchison
• Visitor’s Center in the Capitol
• Eisenhower State Office Building in Topeka
• Front of the Topeka City Hall building
• Travel Information Center on I-70 near Goodland
• Here are a few photos from last year -
• 
  

  

  
  
  

  

   

  

  
  
• 

  Go ORANGE!

ThinkFast Interactive brings a safety experience to schools

ThinkFast teams travel around the country and provide these hour-long educational programs on various topics.

What would you say or do if your friend was drinking or driving, or texting and driving? These are common questions that participants in the ThinkFast Interactive experiential program may be expected to respond to by acting out a scenario during an event that is visiting schools this week in Kansas.

ThinkFast Interactive is an event that travels across the country to teach teens important safety topics using culturally relevant sources and breakout sessions. Some topics include driver safety and traffic awareness, alcohol safety and awareness and drug misuse and abuse prevention.

Laura Moore, the Seatbelts Are for Everyone State Coordinator for the Kansas Traffic Safety Resource Office, said that the organization is based out of Michigan and has four teams that travel across the country and present to middle schools, high schools, colleges and community events.

Hundreds of high school students had the chance to learn about traffic safety behaviors in a fun and entertaining game show-style format. 

“The focus of each presentation can differ, but in Kansas we always focus on traffic safety,” Moore said. “The hour-long presentation is fun, hands on and completely interactive for the students. They compete against each other with questions, dance-offs and other theatrical events. There are multiple opportunities for students to win prizes so it’s also fun for them to walk away with a prize too.”

Moore said that over the years, different schools involved in the SAFE program have been selected to host ThinkFast.

“We hope students leave each presentation with a better understanding and appreciation of Kansas traffic law as well as a few reminders and facts related to seat belt use and risky driving prevention that they can share with family and friends,” Moore said.

“It has been beyond fun and so rewarding to see more than 500 high school students get excited, yell and dance about traffic safety,” Moore said.  “It’s a great change for students, teachers and administrators and it’s all sponsored by KDOT. We are able to reach the population with the highest risk in a fun way. As far as traffic safety education in high schools, I really don’t think it can get any better."

For more information, or to experience what ThinkFast Interactive is like, visit the website at www.thinkfastinteractive.com.

Work zone billboards raise awareness across the state

Billboard design featuring Garden City crew members. 

The Kansas Contractors Association and KDOT have teamed up with several digital billboard companies across Kansas to promote work zone safety as part of National Work Zone Awareness Week. Lisa Knoll, KDOT’s Public Affairs Manager in southwest Kansas, said that the billboards were the idea of Frankie Burns, the Subarea Supervisor in Ulysses.

 “Frankie’s crew took a break for a crew picture for KDOT’s #MoveOverKS safety campaign,” Knoll said.  “He suggested we get that crew picture on the digital billboards in Garden City to help drivers understand that our crews are their friends, family and neighbors, and they have loved ones that want them to come home safely every night.”

Knoll said that they reached out to Mr. Media, who owns the boards in Garden City, and found that the company was willing to donate the space for a few weeks this month.

“We contacted the owners of the billboards in Liberal and Dodge City, who were willing to help, and the project just grew from there,” Knoll said.

Billboard design featuring crew members from Dodge City.

In a short time, the project developed enough that the KCA, a professional association of heavy, highway and utility contractors, stepped up to assist with coordinating the billboard donations. 

“Safety is one of the most important aspects of our trade,” said Michael White, Executive Director of the KCA.  “For highway contractors and anyone else working close to busy roadways, safety is always the number one priority for the workers who are focused on doing their jobs and for those driving through work zones. The KCA is pleased to promote safety whenever possible to help ensure highway workers remain safe in work zones and the traveling public can get to where they are going safely.”

At least 10 different digital billboard companies have agreed to run the work zone awareness graphics, which will feature KDOT crews on billboards as space is available in 14 Kansas counties from April 1 – 15. 

Billboard design featuring crew members from Wichita.

Brian Baker, a spokesman for Advertising Images which manages several digital billboards in Sedgwick County, said that they are happy to donate some of their billboards for the cause.

“Advertising Images is proud to support the safety of hardworking men and women improving the roads for KDOT and Kansas drivers and we are happy to be a part of this campaign,” Baker said.

National Work Zone Awareness Week begins next Monday, April 9. You can show your support for highway workers by wearing orange on April 9, which is Go Orange Day in Kansas. Remember to always slow down in work zones and pay attention.

Be on the lookout for these billboards across the state! Let us know if you see them!

Aviation art winners soar

The Kansas Department of Transportation’s Division of Aviation announces the Kansas winners of the 2018 International Aviation Art Contest.

Bravo Zulu was illustrated by Salome Dutoit, 17, of Andover High School. This painting won First Place in the Group III Division. 

The theme for this year's contest was, "Flight to the Future," which allowed schools and students around the state to explore the future of the aviation industry. Student artwork ranged from supersonic fighter jets to drones filling the skies. The contest was a great opportunity to spark interest in aviation, and also highlight Kansas student’s art prowess!

 

This illustration of a flying car was created by Ashlynn Gomez, 13, from  El Dorado Middle School: Her illustration won First Place in the Group II Division

Congratulations to our 2018 Aviation Art Contest Winners! First place winners from each group will take home a $500 scholarship towards aviation related activity courtesy of the Kansas Commission on Aerospace Education!

Watching the Future Fly Away, was illustrated by Finley Maloney, 8, from Saint Patrick Catholic Church of Kingman KS:  This illustration won First place in the Group I Division 

Although none of the Kansas submissions were selected at the National competition, an amazing turnout of over 160 art submissions this year from all over the state were turned in.

Artwork will be available on www.flykansas.org to view soon!