#KDOTTUESDAYS Bridge replacement project wraps up on K-196 in Butler County

Side view of a bridge that is built over Whitewater River in Butler County. 

K-196 between the cities of Potwin and Whitewater reopened Dec. 14 after a project that replaced three bridges.

That portion of the highway – from I-135 in Harvey County to K-254 in Butler County – had been closed since February for the $2,726,000 project.

The new bridges provide 10-foot-wide shoulders to each lane, replacing structures did not offer shoulder room for the estimated 2,000 drivers who use them daily.

Bridge over Whitewater River in Butler County

The bridges are located between Northwest Diamond Road/K-196 Intersection and Northwest Tawakoni Road/K-196. King Construction Company Inc. of Hesston was the primary contractor for the project, which upgraded/replaced Dry Creek Bridge, Whitewater River Bridge and Diamond Creek Bridge.

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.