July letting paves the way for transit vehicles to utilize shoulder along I-35 in Wyandotte County

Transit vehicles have utilized the shoulders on I-35 in Johnson County since 2012. This service will now be expanded along I-35 into Wyandotte County as well.

A project to allow transit vehicles to utilize the shoulder along I-35 during times of congestion and continue the efforts of bus-on-shoulder operations in Wyandotte County is one of the projects approved as part of KDOT’s monthly construction letting for July.

In 2012, Johnson County Transit started operating on I-35 after legislation was passed in 2011 for the section in Johnson County only. Legislation passed last year allowing for it to be operational in Wyandotte County. Improvements along I-35 in Wyandotte County will be made as a part of this project, and completion of this project will now allow for usage of the shoulder on I-35 for the entire stretch from Johnson County to Wyandotte County.

The transit vehicles can operate on the shoulder at speeds of no more than 10mph above traffic flow and at a maximum of 35mph. The operation increases travel time reliability for the transit vehicles which can ultimately lead to increased usage of transit and serves as a congestion mitigation tool. In 2016 buses utilized the shoulder 2,053 times traveling more than 2,000 miles on the shoulder.

Gunter Construction Company of Kansas City is the contractor on the $119,058.15 project. To see all of the projects in KDOT’s July construction letting, click here.

Kansas joins the Monarch Highway

A monarch in Topeka. 

           Last week, KDOT along with five other state departments of transportation and the Federal Highway Administration, signed an agreement today that will improve pollinator habitat along Interstate 35, a key migratory corridor for Monarch butterflies.

            In the past year, I-35, which passes through Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas, was identified as a corridor that could be enhanced as butterfly habitat through the increased planting of vegetation that provides refuge and a food source.

           

Kansas roadside on I-35. 

 “Kansas roadsides have been a haven for Monarchs since 2008 when KDOT started planting butterfly milkweed and other native wildflowers on the roadsides,” Scott Shields, KDOT Environmental Scientist, said. “We are excited to partner with other states on I-35 to provide education and habitat for these important pollinator insects.” 

            This agreement establishes a cooperative and coordinated effort to establish best practices and promote public awareness of the Monarch butterfly and other pollinating insects.

Wildflowers growing on I-35 in Kansas. 

            Monarch butterflies hatch in late summer or early fall, wintering in Mexico. In the spring, butterflies begin their 2,000-mile trek north. Along the way, they lay eggs that develop into butterflies that finish the trip and begin the cycle again.

            “We are trying to build awareness about the best practices for pollinators,” Shields said. “We are hoping that we can create a habitat that benefits the Monarch butterflies and other critically important pollinating insects so that they can thrive. This benefits everyone in the long run.”