Second week of KDOT Local Consult Meetings begins

KDOT officials traveled 491 miles and visited four different communities during the first week of the Local Consult Meetings. More than 500 Kansans and stakeholders attended the first round of meetings and provided input for how Kansas can move forward.

Together, attendees and KDOT staff were able to discuss what a modern transportation system requires and how to make sure jobs and opportunities will be available. Other topics, like safety, healthcare, technological needs and changes, investing in multi-modal transportation and the partnership required for both urban and rural communities.

As we turn our focus to the next half of the local consult meetings, there will be even more important conversations. As we look forward to the future of Kansas, we know that collaboration will continue to make our state strong.

Here is the schedule for this week’s Local Consult Meetings, we hope to see you there!

Northeast Region

Monday, Aug. 26, 2019
1:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Capital Plaza Hotel
1717 SW Topeka Blvd.
Topeka, Kansas

Wichita Metro Region

Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2019
9 a.m. - noon
Eugene Hughes Metroplex
5015 East 29th Street N
Wichita, Kansas

Southwest Region

Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2019
9 a.m. - noon
Dodge House Convention Center
2409 West Wyatt Earp Blvd.
Dodge City, Kansas

Northwest Region

Thursday, Aug. 29, 2019
9 a.m. - noon
Fort Hays State University
Memorial Union
700 College Drive
Hays, Kansas

You can catch up on all of the blogs from last week at the following links.

North Central Region

South Central Region

Southeast Region

Kansas City Metro Region

Local Consult meetings begin

We need your voice! Plan to attend a series of Local Consult meetings hosted by the Kansas Department of Transportation. KDOT will provide Kansas an opportunity to help set the vision for transportation for the Sunflower State.  

The discussion begins this afternoon in Salina followed by meetings in Hutchinson, Independence, Overland Park, Topeka, Wichita, Dodge City and Hays.

“This is a transformational time in transportation,” said Secretary of Transportation Julie Lorenz. “We need your help to chart our success into the future.”

At each meeting attendees will review facts and trends and explore alternative future possibilities through scenario planning. There will also be time to present information about transportation projects that were not discussed during last fall’s Joint Legislative Transportation Vision Task Force meetings.

Check back here each day for updates and summaries of the Local Consult meeting discussions in each region. Look for a recap on the northcentral Kansas Local Consult Meetings in Tuesday’s blog. 

For more information check out our webpage: http://www.ksdot.org/LocalConsult/LocalConsult.asp

Stakeholders can discuss future transportation priorities at Local Consult meetings

A series of Local Consult meetings hosted by the Kansas Department of Transportation will give citizens a chance to discuss regional transportation priorities and participate in scenario planning for the future.

“These meetings are an important opportunity for stakeholders to help set the vision for transportation in Kansas,” said Secretary of Transportation Julie Lorenz.  “This is a transformational time in transportation, and we need you to help chart our success into the future.”

At the meetings, stakeholders will review facts and trends and explore alternative future possibilities through scenario planning. Stakeholders will also have the opportunity to present information about transportation projects not discussed during last fall’s Joint Legislative Transportation Vision Task Force meetings.

“I strongly encourage you to attend KDOT’s upcoming local consult meetings, so we hear your thoughts and create a transportation system that works for all Kansans, regardless of where they live,” said Gov. Laura Kelly.

The Local Consult meetings are scheduled to take place in August in Salina, Hutchinson, Independence, Overland Park, Topeka, Wichita, Dodge City and Hays. A list of the dates, times, locations and a map are below.

To view an invitation to the meetings from Gov. Kelly and Secretary Lorenz, click https://vimeo.com/351478294/033c1e70dc

If possible, please contact Mike Moriarty, KDOT Chief of Transportation Planning, at 785-296-8864 or Michael.Moriarty@ks.gov to let us know which meeting you plan to attend.

Meeting schedule -

uSalina - Monday, Aug. 19

1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m., Kansas Highway Patrol Academy, 2025 East Iron

 

uHutchinson - Tuesday, Aug. 20

9 a.m. – Noon, Atrium Hotel & Conference Center, 1400 North Lorraine St.

uIndependence - Wednesday, Aug. 21

9 a.m. – Noon, Independence Civic Center, 410 N. Penn Ave.

uOverland Park - Thursday, Aug. 22

9 a.m. – Noon, Matt Ross Community Center, 8101 Marty Street

uTopeka - Monday, Aug. 26

1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m., Capital Plaza, 1717 SW Topeka Blvd

uWichita - Tuesday, Aug. 27

9 a.m. – Noon, Eugene Metroplex, 5015 East 29th Street N

uDodge City - Wednesday, Aug. 28

9 a.m. – Noon, Dodge House Convention Center, 2409 W. Wyatt Earp Blvd.

uHays - Thursday, Aug. 29

9 a.m. – Noon; Fort Hays State Union, 700 College Drive

Improvements to I-70 wrap up just in time for the holidays

Improvements on a stretch of I-70 in Ellis County have wrapped up just in time for this year’s busy holiday travel season.

The project began in late July and spanned a 15-mile portion of the interstate, starting at Exit 159 at Hays and extending east to the Russell County line. Work included a mill and overlay on both the east and westbound driving lanes as well as resurfacing on the shoulders and exit and entrance ramps on five interchanges located along the project route. Crews also installed new pavement markings and rumble strips.

In addition to the Ellis County project, work on temporary crossovers I-70 in Gove County also has concluded for the year. The crossovers were constructed in preparation for the pavement replacement that will take place in 2019 and 2020.

Completion of these projects could not have come at a better time as a record-breaking number of Americans will be hitting the nation’s highways, skies and rails this holiday season. AAA expects upwards of 112.5 million travelers, up 4.4 percent from last year and the most since the organization began tracking holiday travel.

Joint Legislative Transportation Vision Task Force – Hays meeting

Alternative Delivery and County Roads – During the Task Force meeting in Hays last Wednesday, the Task Force heard presentations on two separate topics.  

David Simmons, Design-Build Coordinator for the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT), provided an overview design-build delivery approaches MoDOT has used on select projects over the past several years. Norm Bowers, a Local Road Engineer at the Kansas Association of Counties, provided a perspective on the county road and bridge system, including the size of the system, the importance of county roads and bridges in connecting Kansans, and funding needs as the system ages. Presentations from the meeting can be found here.

Local Testimony Highlights Importance of Economic Development and Safety – During the public testimony, we heard from stakeholders on the importance of KDOT partnering with local communities to help drive local economic development. Some stakeholders encouraged the Task Force to restore and protect transportation funding as they look toward the next transportation program. Similar to other meetings, stakeholders also shared the importance of safety and modernization improvements on existing roadways such as K-383 and US-281.

The next task force meeting will be at the Kansas State University Innovation Campus in Olathe on Nov. 8. At this meeting, we will focus on project selection criteria and the economic impact of transportation. More information about future meeting locations and directions on how to provide testimony can be found here.

Urban Mobility Discussion in Olathe. Before the task force meeting in Olathe, we will hold a stakeholder meeting to discuss urban mobility from 8:00 – 9:30 a.m.

Sternberg Museum



One of the most famous fossils at the Sternberg Museum in Hays.

Many of the displays at the museum are very realistic as seen in the photos above and below.

Make no bones about it, the Sternberg Museum in Hays ranks among the best natural history museums in the country in terms of scientific holdings.

The museum is home to one of the top collections of Cretaceous marine and Neogene terrestrial vertebrate fossils. It also features an excellent assembly of Pteranodon material, the largest collection of fossil grass seeds and an assortment of modern biological material, mammals, reptiles and plants.

Perhaps its most famous display is an exceptionally well-preserved Gillicus within a Xiphactinus, or better known as the Fish-within-a-Fish. The unique find was discovered by the museum’s namesake George F. Sternberg and shows a large 14-foot fish with its last meal, a six-foot fish, fully intact inside of it.

Other attractions include a realistic Cretaceous diorama (watch out for the T-rex!) and a fossil dig pit. Many areas of the museum encourage hands-on interaction including its Discovery Room, where visitors can explore drawers full of touchable specimens from the Great Plains, climb on Charlotte the Spider and view a variety of live animal exhibits, including native snakes, turtles, lizards and fish.

In addition to its permanent displays, the Sternberg also hosts temporary exhibits and various events throughout the year. Visit the museum website at http://sternberg.fhsu.edu for more exhibition and event information.

What will you discover under the dome at the Sternberg Museum?