When the pavement buckles: KDOT crews are ready

You often hear the safety phrase, “buckle up and drive safe.” But on a hot summer day, a different type of buckling may occur – pavement buckling - and it can cause safety and travel concerns for motorists.

According to KDOT Safety Director Troy Whitworth, the reason pavement buckles is heat expansion.

“It usually happens at a pavement joint,” Whitworth said. “So, the pavement pushes together at the joint so hard that it lifts and ultimately crumbles. There is simply not enough room for expansion of the pavement.”

Whitworth says he has seen pavement buckle a lot over the years and that it usually happens on concrete pavement. Whenever it happens, KDOT crews respond quickly to repair the highway.

In Late July, north central Kansas crews were called to 

repair a portion of I-70 that had buckled.

In north central Kansas, crews were on the scene to repair buckled pavement on I-70 in late July.

In Late July, north central Kansas crews were called to 

repair a portion of I-70 that had buckled.

Tim Hays, Highway Maintenance Supervisor in Ellsworth, said that it is common with this summer’s heat and moisture for the road to buckle. Water gets under the concrete and then when it heats up, the concrete expands and buckles.

“After getting a phone call that the roadway has buckled, we go out to look at it and see what needs to be done to fix it,” Hays said. “Usually, we get a backhoe and a concrete saw to dig a hole out and fill it back in with asphalt to get the roadway opened back up as quickly as possible.”

If you come across a portion of the highway that’s buckled, call your local KDOT area office. The list can be found here: https://www.ksdot.org/burTrafficEng/KTC/Contacts/KDOTOffices.asp

A portion of I-70 patched after extreme temperatures caused the
concrete surface to buckle. 

Be prepared for the unexpected, wear a seat belt and drive safe.

Hands on learning: KDOT, Washburn University teach teens about STEM opportunities

Topeka-area middle schoolers attended KDOT’s STEM (Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) Camp at Washburn University last month, thanks to the efforts of the Office of Civil Rights Compliance. The University hosted two weeklong residential camps in July with 14 students participating each week.

The camps gave students opportunities to learn more about science in transportation through interactive projects, activities and fieldtrips. Campers filled their days building and racing solar cars, designing bubble wands in CAD for 3D printing, programming and coding robots; as well as building and launching their own drones and rockets. 

Students also explored a few KDOT careers. Popsicle stick bridges were built and tested for strength with staff from Structures and Geotechnical Services; hands got dirty when students formed small concrete structures during a Materials & Research Lab tour; and mini excavators and skid steers were test driven at Washburn Tech’s campus. Deputy Secretary Lindsey Douglas and State Transportation Engineer Burt Morey spoke to the campers at the weeks’ closing Showcase exhibition.

 “As much I hope this sparked their interest in the transportation field, a new and non-traditional field for so many, I am more excited about the opportunities the camp presented, the exposure students received to something new and different, and the impact it made on their lives- both seen and unseen,” said Doria Watson, Civil Rights Compliance Administrator.

This was the fourth STEM Camp in five years KDOT has sponsored. COVID-19 forced the cancellation of 2020’s camp, and it brought new rules and guidelines to staff and participants to follow for this year’s event.

Civil Rights Compliance administers the STEM Camp through funds from FHWA’s National Summer Transportation Institute (NSTI) Program to help promote career and educational opportunities to disadvantaged and at-risk middle and high school students.

Washburn University created a YouTube video with additional photos. You can view them here:  and here.