Severe Weather Awareness Week: Be prepared

Although it may not look like it, spring is quickly approaching and with that brings the chances for storms and dangerous travel condition. Severe weather can strike at any moment. If you must drive through storms, know the safety tips required to reach your destination safely.

Be Prepared:

The bottom line when driving during severe weather is to be prepared for anything. Before you travel check the weather forecast of your entire route.

If you see darkening skies tune into a local radio station or have your passengers look up the weather on their devices. It can be a good idea to be aware of locations where you can take a break from driving. Gas stations, restaurants, libraries and shopping centers are good examples.  

Driving in Rain:

Wipers on. Headlights on: This is Kansas law. Protect yourself and others around you. Headlights help increase the chances that you will be seen by other drivers.

Turn on Wipers and Keep Windows Clear: This may be a no-brainer, but a surprising number of people drive with windshield wipers that aren’t at their peak performance. It is suggested to get them replaced every 6-12 months. Use your de-frost function or air conditioner to keep your windows clear of fog.

Be Patient:  Take it slower than usual and give extra room to the drivers around you. Wet roads could cause your vehicle to hydroplane or lose traction.

Turn Around Don’t Drown: During severe weather, flash floods may occur. Never try to cross a flooded road way. The water may be deeper than you think and it is dangerous to try to drive over it. Find an alternate route. It only takes a few inches for the current to take you and your vehicle for an unwanted ride.  Abandon your vehicle if it stalls and seek higher ground.

Turn off Cruise Control:  Road conditions during severe weather are inconsistent. You need to be in control, not your vehicle.

Driving during a hailstorm:

Take shelter:  Don’t leave your vehicle unless you can get inside quickly. The hailstones could cause injury.  If you are near an underpass or bridge it is safe to wait out the hail.

Pull over:  if you are not near any shelter, stay in your vehicle and pull to side of the road.

Driving During High Winds:

Watch for Flying Debris: High winds can pick up items that become dangerous weapons if they should hit your or your vehicle.

Be prepared for wind gusts: If you drive a high profile vehicle such as an SUV, bus, or semi truck, you have a higher risk of being affected by high wind gusts. Consider not traveling in these vehicles if you can avoid it.

Driving During a Tornado:

This one is easy: Don’t. Never try to outrun a tornado, and don’t drive during one either.  Get out of your car and find shelter. If none can be found, get below the road’s surface and cover your head. A ditch or low area is suggested. Be aware of the water level around you and be on the lookout for flash floods. Never seek shelter in an underpass.

In every weather situation it is best to buckle up - every trip, every time - and pay attention to your environment.

Annual Aviation Day highlights innovation in Kansas

The Kansas Department of Transportation’s (KDOT) Division of Aviation, in partnership with the Kansas Commission on Aerospace Education (KCAE), will host the fifth annual Aviation Day in the State Capitol rotunda from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday, March 7.

Numerous legislators, manufacturers, suppliers and aviation organizations are participating in this event that helps facilitate industry growth opportunities. The aviation industry  supports nearly 91,300 jobs, generates more than $4.4 billion in annual payroll, and produces nearly $20.6 billion in annual economic output for the state of Kansas according to the 2017 Kansas Aviation Economic Impact Study.

As part of the event, city officials and those interested in boosting aviation economic development in their region are invited to a workshop starting at 1 p.m. in room 4N on the Capitol’s ground floor near the Visitor’s Center. This workshop will prepare community stakeholders to explore how best to harness state and local resources for future efforts. A panel of aviation experts will also be on hand to answer questions.

“Aviation Day highlights the culture of innovation in Kansas,” said Bob Brock, Director of Aviation. “We appreciate partners from industry, university and non-profit organizations working together to promote a message of growth and hope for Kansas.” 

Industry leaders scheduled to attend include: 190th Air Refueling Wing, Ainstein, Air Force, AirMap, Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum, American Bonanza Society, AOPA, Bombardier, Burns and McDonnell, Butler CCC, CAP, Combat Air Museum,  Cosmosphere, DCN, EAA, Explorer Post 8, Flight Safety, Garmin, Garver USA, GBA, Harris Corporation, Heartland Airplanes LLC, HOA Wing of Commemorative AF, International Aviation, Jacobs Instruments and Sales Inc., Kansas Association of Airports, Kansas Aviation Museum, Kansas Historical Society, Kansas Soaring Association, Kiewit, KS Ag Aviation Association, K-State Polytechnic, Lee Aerospace, Life Save Transport, Mission Aviation Fellowship, National Weather Service, NBAA, Pilots For Christ, RANS, Textron, Spirit, University of Kansas, Westar Energy, Wichita Airport Authority, Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower Airport and WSU/NIAR.

KDOT internships offer valuable work experiences

Lorenzo Hernandez served as a Mechanic Intern at
the Garden City district shop last summer.

Transitioning from the classroom to the workforce can be difficult for some students. While they have the knowledge and instruction to do a job, the workforce requires initiative, responsibility and problem solving that they may not have been able to practice in the classroom. But Garden City native Lorenzo Hernandez doesn’t expect that to be an issue when he graduates from Northwest Kansas Technical College in May.

Hernandez served as a Mechanic Intern at the Garden City district shop last summer, and he returned over Christmas break to get a little more experience before returning to school for his final semester.  

According to Hernandez, his time as intern was especially beneficial in helping him take what he learned in college and applying it in the shop. 

“At college, we review in the classroom and go to the lab to diagnose and work on a problem, but we have to wait for the instructor to do things," Hernandez said. "Here, they tell me what to do and I have a mentor to help me, but I really learned how things work in a shop.”

KDOT’s Equipment Mechanic Internship program began in 2015 and is designed to help students enrolled in agricultural, diesel and heavy equipment technical programs across the state be better prepared to compete for permanent positions with KDOT.  

Interns are expected to perform normal mechanic duties based on their knowledge and capabilities and are paired with a mentor who is responsible for helping train and supervisor them during their internship. 

“The program benefits students by helping them get the hands-on experience they need, but also benefits KDOT by helping the agency recruit, train and hire individuals who can contribute to a productive, skilled and diverse work environment," said Jeff Tice, KDOT Assistant Equipment Manager in Topeka. 

Tice serves as the point of contact for interested schools and instructors and coordinates with each KDOT District to place students. 

Hernandez says he has enjoyed his time at KDOT, especially working with the guys in the shop and says he would do it again. 

“You get to see and experience so much here from brand new pick-ups, to tractors, mowers and forklifts,” Hernandez said. 

If you know a student that might be interested in an internship at KDOT, contact Jeff Tice at 785-296-5942 or jeff.tice@ks.gov.

Digging deeper: Road condition health requires more in-depth analysis

The health of our road conditions goes deeper than how smooth the surface is.

KDOT engineering technician Bill Vacura operates the core drill on a section of U.S. 283 in southern Norton County.

Engineering technicians from the Norton district materials lab took advantage of some nice February days to obtain several core samples from U.S. 283 and K-9 in northwest Kansas.

Vacura (left) and Mark Weiser, engineering technician specialist,
 extract the core sample from the roadway.

While it’s easy to see how conditions are on top of the road, that driving surface is just the tip of the iceberg, with many more layers underneath. Core samples allow KDOT to take a deeper look below the surface to see how the various layers of pavement are performing.

Vacura (left) and Mark Weiser, engineering technician specialist, extract the core sample from the roadway.

Technicians utilize a specialized core drill to obtain the samples. The drill acts much like a hole saw and is water-cooled to keep the bit from overheating. Once the technicians have drilled to the desired depth, the core is retrieved, labeled with the date and location, and sent back to the lab for analysis. Measurements are also taken of both the hole and core, then the hole is filled and patched with asphalt.

Weiser and Vacura patch the hole left behind
by the core drill. 

Back at the lab, technicians photograph the sample and conduct a visual assessment on the conditions of the different layers. They also note if the core was extracted as a whole or if it was in separate pieces. This information helps KDOT engineers determine what kind of action may be needed on the road and how deep that work needs to take place.

Seat belt enforcement now underway near area high schools

In 2018, nearly half of all Kansas teens who died in traffic crashes were not wearing a seat belt, that reflects a similar statistic of nearly 50 percent of all traffic deaths in Kansas were unbuckled. 

That's one of the many reasons why the Kansas Highway Patrol, area law enforcement agencies and agencies in both Missouri and Oklahoma will participate in the annual “High Visibility Seat Belt Enforcement Campaign” near area high schools. The enforcement campaign began yesterday and it will run through March 8. 

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, (NHTSA) seat belts have been proven to be one of the best ways to keep drivers and passengers safe in the case of a crash. 

This initiative is coupled with the Seat Belts Are for Everyone (SAFE) program in Kansas’ high schools. SAFE is a locally sustained program, administered by the students of the high school they attend.  The focus is on reducing deaths and injuries on Kansas roadways. Currently in Kansas, 168 high schools from 70 counties participate in the SAFE program. www.ktsro.org/safe


“Troopers will be working with local law enforcement partners in an aggressive education and enforcement campaign focused on the importance of seat belt usage,” said Colonel Mark Bruce, Superintendent of the KHP. “Seat belts have been proven to save lives and prevent injuries, and our goal is to make sure all young adults buckle up in all seating positions.” 

Everyone is reminded to buckle up. Every trip. Every time. 

Public invited to Transit Day at the Capitol on Feb. 27

The public is invited to attend the annual Transit Day at the Capitol in Topeka from 8 a.m. to noon on Wednesday, Feb. 27. 

It is hosted by the Kansas Department of Transportation and the Kansas Public Transit Association.

Meet the state’s service providers, tour new transit and para-transit vehicles, learn how transit reinforces economic development in the state and find out more about new technologies being used. 

The free event will include display tables in the first-floor rotunda and vehicles available to tour outside on the apron surrounding the capitol. A briefing on public transportation in Kansas will take place at 10 a.m. that day in the first-floor rotunda area.

Speakers will include:

• KDOT Division of Planning and Development Director Chris Herrick,
• House Transportation Chair Rep. Richard Proehl,
• Senate Transportation Chair Sen. Mike Petersen,
• Anne Smith, Chair of the Kansas Public Transit Association.

The event highlights the work that more than 150 different agencies from across the state do to provide transit and para-transit services to people across Kansas.

“Public transit is here for all – rural, urban, young and old alike. It supports the local economy and gives access to jobs and healthcare,” said KDOT Public Transit Manager Mike Spadafore. “Transit Day will give everyone the opportunity to learn about transit and para-transit services in Kansas and our goal of keeping the people of Kansas living in and connected to their communities for as long as possible.”

Hot News: Damaged steel bridge girders can be repaired

By Tom Hein, Wichita Public Affairs Manager

In December 2018, a large load struck the underside of a KDOT bridge on K-96 near Maize.

 Extensive damage to steel girders was obvious but the distortions were deemed repairable.

In December 2018, damage to the underside of a bridge on K-96 near Maize occurred.  

In January, a contractor was hired to use a heat straightening process to repair the damaged girders. Steel has a memory and generally wants to go back to its original shape. 

Contractors were hired to repair the underside of the bridge by using a heat straightening process. 

By heating in the right place and at the right temperature, as the steel cools from brief heating process, the metal shrinks and pushes back to its original shape.

Along with using the heat straightening process, other tools like clamps and hydraulic jacks are used to fix the bridge. 

Besides judiciously placed heatings, clamps and hydraulic jacks are used to help influence the return of the steel to its former shape.

The bridge on K-96 is now repaired. 

After seven days of the heat straightening process, the bridge damage has been reversed. 

In a 2008 report, The Federal Highway Administration cited that heat straightening can be traced to the early days of welding. Experiments to reverse distortions by heating steel in specific patterns were successful. Originally considered more art form than a scientific process, the techniques eventually generated wide-spread acceptance through engineering evaluation and research. Today, heat straightening is considered an accepted science and will continue to be used when necessary.