Governor outlines T-WORKS projects, additional investments to move forward with transportation funding

Governor Laura Kelly and Transportation Secretary Julie Lorenz announce plans to invest $160 million in revenue included in the FY2020 budget.

Governor Laura Kelly joined Kansas Secretary of Transportation Julie Lorenz to announce the Kansas Department of Transportation’s (KDOT) plans to invest $160 million in revenue that is included in the Governor’s FY 2020 budget for transportation.

Governor Kelly addresses the audience and announces four delayed T-WORKS projects across Kansas will resume construction.

The $160 million comes from reducing the amount of money transferred out of the State Highway Fund. Since 2011, more than $2 billion has been transferred out of the State Highway Fund, causing costly project delays, reduced highway preservation work, a decline in the health of our highway system and an inability to plan for future projects.

“With this $160 million in revenue, we will strengthen our highway system, take steps towards completing T-WORKS, and provide resources to communities across the state,” said Governor Laura Kelly.

“These are important steps forward, but to be clear, we still have a long way to go in order to get our transportation system where it should be.”

With the $160 million in FY 2020, KDOT will:

• Increase the highway preservation investment from $350 - $400 million
• Move forward with four delayed T-WORKS projects:
  o US-54 in Seward County (Expansion project; let for construction Fall 2019)
  o US-169 in Anderson County (Modernization project; let for construction Fall 2019)
  o US-281 in Russell County (Modernization project; let for construction Spring 2020)
  o US-50 in Lyon County (Expansion Project; let for construction Spring 2020)
• Reinstate the Kansas Local Bridge Improvement Program
• Implement a new cost-share program for state/local partnerships
• Enhance its safety program
• Increase City Connecting Link maintenance payments
• Increase funding for modal programs (e.g., transit, aviation, rail and bike/pedestrian)

These investments are aligned with recommendations from the Joint Legislative Transportation Vision Task Force that met last year.

Transportation Secretary Julie Lorenz discusses investments at a press conference held yesterday at KDOT Headquarters. 

“We look forward to working with communities and our partners across the state to deliver these investments,” said Secretary Julie Lorenz. 

“We know that funding reductions have impacted the health of our system. I’m so pleased to work with Governor Kelly to take this important step forward to achieving the goals the task force laid out and improving our state’s transportation system.”

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.

KDOT crews and contractors awarded

The Kansas Contractors Association and KDOT handed out its partnering awards recently for the 2017 heavy highway construction season.

The awards highlight the multitude of ways contractors and KDOT employees work together to ensure the best outcome on projects.

Receiving awards were:

                  

District 1 in Northeast Kansas

One-inch cold mill with one-inch overlay: Bettis Asphalt and the Bonner Springs Construction Office the project cost $1.3 million to complete. 

 

District 2 in North Central Kansas:

Grading and concrete pavement of bike path and lighting system: Hamm Construction, Kaw Valley and the Junction City Construction Office. The project cost $938,132 to complete. 

District 3 in Northwest Kansas:

Bridge repair work: Bridges, Inc. and the Oakley Construction Office. The project cost $972,718 to complete. 

District 4 in Southeast Kansas:

Intersection improvement on U.S. 75/160: B&B Bridge Company LLC and the Independence Construction Office. The project cost $835,924 to complete. 

Surfacing, side roads and entrances on K-68: Hamm Inc. and the Garnett Construction Office The project cost $2,529,720 to complete. 

District 5 in South Central Kansas:

Bridge repairs: King Construction Company and the El Dorado Construction Office ($2,726,787)

“By working together and not against one another, we were able to solve problems in a timely manner, and the outcome was a great looking project completed before the winter hit.” — Jordan Toogood, King’s Project Manager 

Kansas Turnpike Authority Award Winner:

RCB Construction and Grading: Hamm Construction and the KTA ($3,153,466)

Statewide Project Award Winner:

Grading, bridge and surfacing: Ebert Construction and Lochner with the Marion Construction Office ($7,216,411)

“Due to tremendous cooperation with Ebert, KDOT, Lochner, city and county governments, this project was completed two months ahead of schedule and is an excellent example of partnering in action.” — Scott Swanson of KDOT when announcing the award

Westbound portion of Lewis and Clark Viaduct to be replaced

The photo above shows an overall view of the Lewis and Clark Viaduct looking west in to Kansas. 

A project to replace one of the bridges in the Lewis and Clark Viaduct was one of the projects included in the November KDOT Construction letting. This project is to replace the I-70 westbound bridge that spans the Kansas River and is nearing the end of its service life. Removal of the old bridge will begin in February.

The new bridge will be 2,980 feet long, have 20 new spans and 18 new piers. One of the new piers will be in the Kansas River. The new bridge will also contain more than 21,000 cubic yards of concrete and 3,100,000 pounds of reinforcing steel (excluding the drilled shafts and prestressed concrete beams). The bridge will contain more than 55,000 feet of steel pile and 2,100 feet of drilled shafts (72 inches in diameter).

American Bridge Company of Coraopolis, Pa., is the prime contractor on the approximately $65 million project. It is scheduled to be complete in December 2019. Debbie Tanking’s road squad and Mark Hurt’s bridge squad designed the project. 

To see all the projects in the November letting, click here.

Queue detection and warning system installation one of approved projects in July lettings

Railroad crossing on K-196 in Harvey County.

The installation of a queue detection and warning system at a railroad crossing on K-196 in Harvey County is one of the approved projects in KDOT’s July letting. The system warns eastbound approaching traffic to be prepared to stop if there is any vehicle stopped at the crossing.  Trucks require more breaking time than a standard vehicle, this system will be helpful for the approaching truck traffic by providing that advance warning.  The flashing beacons tied to the detection will warn all vehicles that they need to be prepared to stop.

Phillips Southern Electric Company Inc., of Wichita is the contractor on the $62,560 project.

To see all of the projects approved in July’s letting, click here.

Traffic sign replacement among approved projects in December letting.

A project to replace traffic signs on all major collector routes in Marshall County (with the exception of RS-436 and RS-1222 in the City of Blue Rapids) was one of six projects approved in the December KDOT letting. The new signs will enhance the safety of the travelling public. Signs Up LTD DBA Haren's Trees and Critters of Webster City, Iowa, is the contractor on the $319,000 project.

A total of 1,032 flat signs and 871 object markers are part of the sign improvement project.

To see all of the projects approved in the December letting, click here.

July KDOT letting set to repair and upgrade a variety of projects

A dynamic message informs drivers about expected travel times to various streets in Johnson County.

Several milling, overlay, lighting and bridge repair projects are part of KDOT’s July letting that was recently approved.

Also included is a project to upgrade eight trusses for Dynamic Message Signs for Kansas City Scout throughout the metro area. Capital Electric Line Builders Inc. of Riverside, Mo., is the prime contractor on the $1.02 million project.

To see all of the projects approved in the July KDOT letting, click here.