Air Force veteran selected to be state's first UAS director

A 22-year U.S. Air Force veteran has been selected to be Kansas’ first Director of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS).

Bob Brock, a Pittsburg native who retired from the Air Force as a lieutenant colonel, will oversee the establishment of policy and procedures for the operation of UAS, or drones, in Kansas. During his Air Force career, Brock gained experience in UAS operations and training. He also served as a flight safety officer and instructor pilot.

“Bob has extraordinary experience with UAS and will play a pivotal role in helping develop our program in Kansas,” said Kansas Transportation Secretary Mike King. “Under his guidance, the state will become a national leader in the industry.”

 Brock said that among his priorities will be protecting the privacy and public safety of Kansans as drones become part of our world.

“Our team will work very closely with the FAA, universities and aviation leaders to deliver systems that make Kansas safer, provide economic growth and also save time and money,” said Brock.

Brock will maintain offices at Kansas Department of Transportation headquarters in Topeka and at the Kansas State University Polytechnic Campus in Salina, which has a nationally ranked UAS program.

"Kansas State Polytechnic is very excited about the state's new UAS director having an office on our campus," said Kurt Barnhart, associate dean of research and executive director of the Applied Aviation Research Center on the Polytechnic Campus. "This allows both KDOT and K-State to work together more easily to help advance the industry statewide and bring lasting economic benefit to Kansas."

Land and Sky Scenic Byway officially designated in northwest Kansas

The Kansas Byways Program has grown by one with the addition of the newly- designated Land and Sky Scenic Byway in northwest Kansas.

            Land and Sky is the 12^th Kansas byway to receive official designation from the Kansas Department of Transportation. The byway covers parts of Wallace, Sherman and Cheyenne counties.

            “We are excited to extend the byway program into northwest Kansas with the Land and Sky Scenic Byway,” said Kansas Transportation Secretary and Director of the Kansas Turnpike Mike King. “The state designation will create greater awareness of the agricultural significance and scenic beauty of this area for visitors and spur interest in the communities along the route.”

            The 88-mile route on K-27 begins in Wallace County in Sharon Springs, runs north through Goodland in Sherman County, and ends in Cheyenne County north of St. Francis at the Kansas/Nebraska border. Travelers along the byway have the opportunity to experience the Wallace Branch of the Great Western Cattle Trail, scale the highest point in Kansas at Mount Sunflower and explore the deep canyons and rugged landscape of the Arikaree Breaks. The byway is also the only one in the state that focuses on agriculture and features thousands of acres of rotating crops, livestock and wildlife along the route.

            “With its unique land formations and strong agricultural roots, we feel the Land and Sky Scenic Byway can help tell the story of agriculture to an increasingly urbanized nation,” Secretary King said. “Those driving along the byway will be able to see where some of their food is grown and maybe better understand the work of Kansas farmers and ranchers.”           

            The state designation will result in the placement of route markers along the byway, inclusion in the Kansas Byways Guide, a page on the Kansas Byways website at www.ksbyways.com and promotion on the Kansas Byways Facebook and Pinterest pages. The byway communities are also eligible for grant applications to enhance the route for visitors.

            Local team members who worked on the byway application process include Helen Dobbs of St. Francis, Jayne Pearce of Wallace and Donna Price and Roxie Yonkey of Goodland. The group also received assistance from the Cheyenne, Sherman and Wallace county commissioners and numerous committee members from the area.

            The Kansas Byways program, a cooperative partnership of the KDOT; Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism; Kansas State Historical Society; and local grassroots teams, identifies scenic and historic routes in the state and preserves, enhances and promotes the routes. For additional information, contact Scott Shields, Kansas Byways Coordinator, at 785-296-0853, or Sue Stringer, Kansas Byways Manager, at 800-684-6966.

'Click it. Or ticket.' campaign seeks to reduce traffic injuries, deaths

Topeka doctor Bill Sachs doesn’t treat every car crash victim that comes to Stormont Vail Health. But as the trauma program director for the hospital, he and his staff see the worst.

“We just see the serious ones,” Sachs said. “The ones we see aren’t wearing their seat belts.”

Sachs knows what the studies back; wearing a seat belt reduces the number of significant injuries from deaths from motor vehicles by more than 50 percent. As a part of those studies, the Kansas Department of Transportation announced Wednesday at Stormont Vail that there will be added law enforcement looking out for those not buckling up. Kansas’ annual “Click it. Or ticket.” campaign will be Monday, May 16 through Sunday, June 5.

Lauren Newell, a sophomore at Wabaunsee High School who spoke at today’s event, was wearing her seat belt last year when she was involved in a crash and walked away from the event. Her boyfriend, who was not wearing his was ejected from the car and now suffers from a traumatic brain injury.

“Because he didn’t wear his seat belt, his life will never be the same,” Newell said. “It doesn’t matter how far you’re driving or how fast you are going. You need to buckle up.”

Transportation Secretary Mike King echoed Newell’s message.

“We know when seat belt use goes up, fatalities and serious injuries go down,” King said. “‘Click it. Or ticket.’ campaign focuses on our goal of ‘Drive to Zero,’ which means just one preventable death on our roadways is one too many.”

“On the ‘Drive to Zero,’ you are in the driver’s seat,” King said. “It’s up to you to make sure everyone in your car is buckled up.”

For the next few weeks law enforcement will be working overtime to enforce Kansas’ seat belt laws because it saves lives.

Kansas Highway Patrol Lt. Adam Winters has worked countless crashes in his career as a Trooper.

“Every time we are dispatched to a crash, I just hope that the victims are wearing their seat belts,” Winters said. “Memorial Day is the official kick off to summer, and we know the roads are going to be busy. Please take the time to buckle up. Every trip. Every time.” 

Johnson County Gateway project celebrates dual milestones

A bird's eye view of the two new-lane flyover ramps serving eastbound I-435 to northbound I-35 and westbound I-435 to southbound I-35.

Kansas Department of Transportation Secretary Mike King, along with local city, county and state officials, celebrated the completion of two key milestones today in the mega Johnson County Gateway project.

With two new two-lane flyover ramps serving eastbound I-435 to northbound I-35 and westbound I-435 to southbound I-35 traffic in Lenexa serving as the backdrop, Secretary King, Gateway Interchange Constructors’ Bill Clarkson, KDOT Project Director Paul Gripka, along with local city, county and state officials, cut the ribbon to mark the completion of these ramps.

“When we plan projects, we want to address issues of safety, congestion, preservation and expansion of the highway system. This project accomplishes all of that,” said Kansas Transportation Secretary Mike King.

The westbound I-35 to southbound I-35 flyover ramp opened to one lane of traffic on Thursday, April 28, and the eastbound I-435 to northbound I-35 flyover ramp is scheduled to open to one lane of traffic on Wednesday, May 11, weather permitting. Both of these ramps will carry two lanes of traffic when all adjacent project work is completed later this year.

Transportation Secretary Mike King, left, Project Director Paul Gripka and Gateway Interchange Constructor's Bill Clarkson all spoke at Monday's event.

More than 230,000 vehicles use the I-435/I-35/K-10 interchange and that number is estimated to grow to 380,000 by 2040. This traffic volume, along with economic development potential, declining infrastructure and roadway safety concerns, are among the key reasons for much needed improvements in the interchange area.

Gateway Interchange Constructors is the design-build team that is completing the project’s Phase 2 construction work. GIC is a joint venture led by Kansas City, Mo.-based Clarkson Construction Co., which has partnered with Kiewit Infrastructure Co. Additional key members of the team include local design firms HDR Engineering, Inc. and George Butler Associates, Inc.

The $288 million, three-year Gateway project is the state’s first major design-build project. Construction on Phase 2 is scheduled to be substantially complete by December 31, 2016.

For more information, visit the project website: www.jocogateway.com

KDOT and Jo Co Gateway staff along with city, county and state dignitaries officially cut the ribbon opening for the two new flyover ramps.

ICYMI: Willard Bridge loan agreement officially approved 

       An agreement authorizing a state loan to Shawnee County to help pay for a new Willard Bridge was signed today by Kansas Transportation Secretary Mike King.

      The agreement, signed during an event near the bridge, authorizes a loan of up to $8.5 million from the Kansas Department of Transportation to the county. The interest-free loan, which is to be repaid in annual installments of $850,000, will be combined with countywide sales tax revenues, $900,000 from Wabaunsee County and other funds to cover the costs of the $16 million replacement project.

Willard Bridge, left, and the pier construction that is underway.

       The Willard Bridge, which was built in 1955, spans the Kansas River between Shawnee and Wabaunsee counties. It is structurally deficient and has a posted weight limit that restricts school buses and other heavy vehicles from crossing over it. “KDOT recognizes this is an important connection between I-70, western Shawnee County and Wabaunsee County,” said Secretary King. “This is a great example of a partnership between KDOT and local governments to improve the public transportation system.”

Built for the Growth of Kansas

KDOT Secretary Mike King

As the 2014 legislative session slowly ramps up in the beautifully-renovated Statehouse, I want to briefly tell you about some of the exciting things going in Kansas transportation. Some of you know my three priorities as Secretary are safety, economic development and completion of the T-WORKS transportation program. So I will talk about each in that order.

Safety

In 2013, Kansas recorded a record low number of fatalities. While that’s certainly a positive, it’s no consolation for the devastated families and friends of the 349 people who lost their lives. Reducing that number to zero is my top priority and at the core of everything we do at KDOT. We will continue to design safety into every road project and educate Kansans as to how they can protect themselves and their loved ones every time they get into a car or truck.

Economic development

KDOT projects pay dividends in the short-term and, literally, lay the groundwork for future economic success. We see that in the large, multi-year K-18 expansion project between Ogden and Manhattan that opened a few months ago. It provides the infrastructure to support the growth of Fort Riley, the future NBAF facility, Kansas State University and the Manhattan airport. And during construction, more than 170 businesses got work, injecting money from paychecks into local grocery stores, gas stations and hundreds more businesses.

While few projects have the huge economic benefit of a K-18, much smaller KDOT investments also make it possible for businesses to expand and add employees. McCarty Family Farms in Northwest Kansas and the Newell Rubbermaid plant in Cowley County are just two businesses that have been able to expand and add jobs because of KDOT-funded projects that improve transportation accessibility.

T-WORKS

I’m thrilled to report that we are in the biggest construction years of the T-WORKS program right now, and we are on track to deliver the program. The long-awaited $130 million South Lawrence Trafficway is finally under way! The design-build construction of the $288 million Johnson County Gateway project (I-435/I-35/K-10) starts in a few months. And this spring, the East Kellogg freeway expansion in Wichita will be under construction. Since T-WORKS got under way in 2010, much has been accomplished. Here are a few numbers:  

•       943 highway projects completed

•       7,567 miles improved

•       436 bridges repaired/replaced

•       $2.1 billion let to construction

Partnership

Finally, I’m very pleased to tell you that since the 2013 Legislature formalized the partnership between KDOT and the Kansas Turnpike Authority, innovation teams of staff from both agencies have identified more than $17 million in savings through shared resources, project coordination, co-location and more. We have conducted a Business Roundtable, hosted the first Kansas Transportation Summit and are organizing a freight advisory committee. We will continue to be creative and innovative as we build and maintain a transportation system that is world class. Together, we are one voice for Kansas transportation. And together, we have forged a partnership that is built for the growth of Kansas.

Thank you.

Transportation Secretary Mike King