South central Kansans provide input at local consult meetings

Take care of our existing infrastructure and have flexibility for the future.

That was the key theme delivered by nearly 200 south central Kansans at Wichita and Great Bend Local Consult meetings.

“I liked what I heard today about a two-year process. Things are just moving too fast to get locked into a 10-year process.” -  Andrew Lawson, City of Arkansas City

KDOT used the input gathered at the first round of Local Consult meetings in August to shape not only the public input sessions currently underway, but also the next major state transportation plan— known as FORWARD. The second round of meetings are designed to make sure we are on the right track with FORWARD’s design – and help us better understand regional priorities for highway expansion and modernization projects.

Participants also provided feedback about how KDOT could improve its business models, which would allow the state to solve more transportation problems.  South central Kansans expressed support for practical solutions that would allow more improvements to be made at less cost.  For example, several stakeholders noted that passing lanes can alleviate congestion at much less cost than 4-lane expressways.  They also noted there are existing passing lanes that need to be longer, such as on U.S. 54 where extended passing lanes are needed to accommodate wind turbine traffic.

“There’s a lot of value in passing lanes.” -  Les Mangnus, City of Andover

Themes heard across the meetings include:

Transit and bike/pedestrian paths are critical for accessibility and improved quality of life.  Participants expressed that these modes are important for communities of all sizes.  They also expressed the need for bike and pedestrian accommodations to be considered at the start of major highway projects.

Airport investments have a major impact.  Or as one participant said, “A mile of road gets you a mile of travel, but a mile of runway gets you anywhere.”

Expand some local programs to cover more needs.  Participants supported adding technology improvements as a component of the new Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) program.  And they expressed support for adding passenger rail to the rail program.

Combine set-aside programs to allow more flexibility.  Since the Local Bridge, CCLIP, Cost Share and Economic Development programs serve similar needs, participants expressed support for combining these programs to allow communities more options to receive funding for improvements.

Priorities for the highway pipeline. During the breakout sessions, participants were asked to prioritize highway modernization and expansion needs in their regions. Participants were split into different groups and asked to identify which projects would be considered a high or medium priority.  The charts below show the results of this exercise.  The left-hand columns each represent one breakout group’s recommendations.

The FORWARD Advisory Group requested that we ask participants at the Local Consult meetings about ideas for funding this significant transportation program.  Participants emphasized that it would be important to leverage more local dollars to help fund transportation, but the property tax lid in state statute hinders the ability for local communities to raise revenues.  In addition, they expressed the importance of utilizing tolling where applicable, and noted that it was important to protect revenue sources for highway preservation.

The final Local Consult meetings are taking place in Liberal and Colby this week.  While this round of Local Consult will wrap up soon, KDOT will stay engaged with communities about any developments related to FORWARD.

And we look forward to seeing you in western Kansas this week.

Waiting for Big Boy: Historical train moves across the country, stops in Kansas

Audience members wait for the arrival of Big Boy No. 4014 as it enters Coffeyville.

It was 3 p.m. Saturday, and they were waiting at the Coffeyville depot. Parents with babies in strollers. Older folks, some using walkers. Young people with their coffee. Couples with curious dogs. High-spirited youth who scrambled to collect leftover railroad spikes from rocky areas along the tracks. Locals and out-of-towners, a few setting up lawn chairs and settling in. People who had chased the train as it made previous stops in Oklahoma. The gathering had begun.

The cause of all this excitement was the anticipated arrival of Union Pacific’s grand old steam locomotive, Big Boy No. 4014. One of 25 Big Boy locomotives built for the UP Railroad, No. 4014 was in operation from 1941-61 and logged over 1 million miles. In 2013, UP bought back No. 4014 from the RailGiants Museum in Pomona, Calif. The train was then relocated to Cheyenne, Wyo., for restoration and returned to service last May in honor of t the 150^th anniversary of the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad.

Big Boy No. 4014, one of 25 Big Boy Locomotives  steams past attendees.

Big Boy is 132 feet long and weighs 1.2 million pounds. The frame of the locomotive is ‘hinged’ to more easily negotiate curves in the tracks. It has 24 wheels. The first four wheels serve as pilots to guide the engine, followed by two sets of eight driver wheels and another four wheels to support the back of the locomotive.

It was nearing 4 o’clock, and still they came to the depot. Social media reports streamed north from followers in Oklahoma. Big Boy was reported at Claremore, then stopped at Nowata, and running behind schedule. The stated time of arrival at Coffeyville, 4:30, came and went without No. 4014. Folks lined the tracks, gazing south through the trees. Straining to see a light, to hear the whistle. UP workers and police worked up and down the rails, shooing people back and warning of a scalding steam bath should anyone get too close.

Now the time was almost 5 p.m., with a lavender sky and darkness encroaching. It was getting chilly, with all watching and waiting. The reports were still flowing in – now north of Delaware, north of Lenapah … and finally, a steady glowing light could be seen as Big Boy made its way on the tracks along U.S. 169. The low, husky whistle sounded – and there at last was the majestic locomotive steaming and ringing through the twilight.

A multitude of cameras and cell phones captured No. 4014 as it rolled up the tracks and parked, letting off ample bursts of steam. The crush of people assembled around the engine, held their cellphones up for that perfect photo and lifted children to their shoulders for a closer look.

As evening fell, the crowd continued to mill around the mammoth train and savor the shared experience. Once people started to filter out of the depot, their empty parking spots were swiftly filled with new arrivals. Big Boy would not lack for company on a Saturday night in southeast Kansas.

Big Boy 4014 comes to a complete stop and the crowd is allowed to mill around the locomotive for a closer look.

UP’s Great Race Across the Southwest continues with stops throughout Kansas this week. View the schedule at this link:

https://www.up.com/heritage/steam/schedule/index.htm.

New signs will highlight U.S. Bicycle Routes 76, 66 across Kansas

Officials unveil the new U.S. Bicycle Routes 76 and 66 at the event on Thursday. There will be more than 900 new signs installed along the route throughout the state.  

Highway signs that will help show the way for U.S. Bicycle Routes (USBR) 76 and 66
throughout Kansas were unveiled today at an event along Historic Route 66 in Riverton as part of the sign initiative currently underway.

“Signage is beneficial because it provides wayfinding for cyclists and it alerts motorists to
diligently be aware of and respectful to cyclists sharing the road,” said Kansas Department of Transportation Planning and Development Director Chris Herrick. Other speakers included Bourbon County Economic Development Director Jody Hoener, Cherokee County Sheriff Groves and Joplin Convention and Visitors Bureau Director Patrick Tuttle.

More than 900 new road/highway signs will be placed across Kansas marking the two bicycle routes. These routes in Kansas were approved by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), as a result of collaborative efforts between KDOT and the Adventure Cycling Association (ACA), beginning in 2015. The USBR system connects bicycle routes across the country for safer, long-distance cycling.

USBR 76 is also known as the TransAmerica Bicycle Trail. It extends more than 480 miles and runs from Greely County on the Colorado border to Crawford County on the Missouri border. The Kansas stretch of USBR 66 is 13 miles long and runs through the southeast corner of the state.

“Thousands of cyclists ride these routes through Kansas every year offering great tourist
opportunities for the over 30 communities they pass through, especially rural towns,” said

KDOT Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator Jenny Kramer. “Many towns take advantage of this opportunity for economic growth and development by making their towns more bicycle-friendly and creating attractive resting and overnight spots for travelers.”

Sign installation will begin in spring 2020 and should all be placed by June. KDOT has
developed signing plans to assist with installation along the state and local systems. In
addition, KDOT plans to release the 2020-21 Kansas Bicycle Map by next summer.

For more information on KDOT’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Program and resources on cycling in Kansas, go to: https://www.ksdot.org/burRail/bike/default.asp.

Cyclists to give back this weekend in Topeka

‘Tis the season of giving! This year marks the 7th annual Cranksgiving in Topeka. What is 

Cranksgiving? It’s the perfect combination of a fun bike ride and a charitable food drive, and it isn’t just a Topeka thing.

Every year cities across the U.S. host their own version of a Cranksgiving event, helping to stock pantries and provide other much needed supplies for their communities. In 2018, more than 150 cities participated in Cranksgiving to support local food banks, helping to feed thousands of families.

While the overall purpose of Cranksgiving is the same in each city, the individual events take on their own identities.

In Topeka, participants can compete in a race against the clock to pick up as many grocery items that will fit on their bike or they can take part in a non-competitive, family-friendly, slow-paced group ride called “The Haul” for a one-stop shop to purchase grocery items with donated funds. In the last three years, Topeka’s Cranksgiving participants have continued to increase the amount of food collected by bike:

2016 - 310 pounds

2017 - 540 pounds

2018 - 720 pounds

 

Come support Topeka and help reach a new record weight! This year’s Cranksgiving event is on Sunday, Nov. 17 at The Burger Stand at College Hill. Registration begins at 12:30 p.m. and race will begin at 1pm. For more details, and ways you can get involved, visit: https://biketopeka.com/2019/10/31/cranksgiving-topeka-sunday-nov-17th/

Topeka’s Cranksgiving is brought to you by Topeka Community Cycle Project and The Burger Stand at College Hill. All donations will be used to support the Doorstep Topeka: Topeka’s Home for Hope.

KDOT conducts first UAS flight without visual observers

Transportation Secretary Julie Lorenz addresses the crowd about the importance of investing
in our future success with aviation.

It’s another first in the U.S. for the Kansas Department of Transportation as the Division of Aviation conducted its first unmanned aircraft system (UAS) flights without visual observers and using only onboard detect-and-avoid systems.

Kansas has a proud tradition of recognizing the opportunities that can be achieved through the skies,” said. Lt. Gov. Lynn Rogers. “Implementing new technology is never easy, but KDOT is up to the challenge.”

Aviation is a vital mode of transportation in Kansas that supports thousands of jobs, transports good across the state and improves safety through access to air ambulance service.

“The investments we make in aviation are not only important for our economy today, but they’re critical for future success,” Secretary Lorenz said. “I look forward to working with all of you to build transportation infrastructure that will propel our state to the next level.”

KDOT was selected in May 2018 by the U.S. DOT as one of only 10 organizations in the nation to lead the UAS Integration Pilot Program (IPP), an initiative aimed at shaping the future of drones. In August 2018, KDOT flew the first beyond the line of sight UAS flight under the program.

Highway Safety 101: Don’t get lulled over

Technical Trooper Chad Crittenden pulls over to watch traffic near I-235 and Zoo Boulevard in Wichita.

By Tim Potter

Southcentral Kansas 

Public Affairs Manager

I’m belted comfortably into the passenger seat of a gleaming, heavily equipped Kansas Highway Patrol SUV. It’s one of those sun-drenched fall days when a driver can see for miles. It’s a perfect time for traveling, on highways engineered for ease and safety.

The person driving me around the Wichita area in a 2018 Ford Interceptor Utility is an expert driver -- Technical Trooper Chad Crittenden. He’s been patrolling state highways as a trooper for more than 16 years. He teaches defensive driving.

Yet, even on days like these, people still die or get maimed on Kansas highways.

Why?

“Complacency,” Crittenden says without hesitating. Complacency is a dominating factor in car crashes that he responds to in the Wichita metro area.

By complacency, he means the situation where a driver gets lulled into a false sense of security. They’ve never been in a bad accident. They assume the driver on the side road will not suddenly pull out in front of them. To compound the risks, they might not wear a seat belt. They might drive while on their cell phone, chatting, texting or fidgeting with the radio or comfort controls. So far, the multitasking has led to nothing tragic. So they keep doing it, eyes and brain diverted as they cruise at 60, 70, 75 … 

“We’re not as focused as we possibly should be,” Crittenden says. “You have to be looking here and there,” he says, his eyes scanning back and forth as he motors west on K-254 past a side road. It’s the same spot where two vehicles collided with fatal consequences a few months back.

According to Kansas traffic statistics, the by-far biggest single factor in crashes during 2017 was inattention.

That same year, most accidents occurred during daylight hours, 63 percent; in good weather conditions, 88 percent; with dry pavement, 87 percent; and where the road was straight and level, 77 percent.

To Crittenden, winning the game of safe driving starts with a mindset, a discipline – to always be prepared to survive when the unexpected happens. It includes practicing the most basic death-defying thing that people keep ignoring – wearing a seat belt.

How does he enforce safe habits?

From his driver seat near I-235 and Central, he zeros in on a small, white Nissan sedan because he can see that the woman driving it is not wearing her seat belt. She quickly pulls over after he activates his flashing lights, and he will issue a ticket for not wearing a seat belt but only warn her for not signaling a lane change.

When he tells her why he stopped her, she says about the seat belt, “I just left class. I think I forgot. … I remembered it when I saw your lights, though.”

He suggests that she stick a note on her dash to remind herself to buckle up. “Yeah, I guess,” she good-naturedly replies. “Please wear your seat belt,” he responds. “OK,” she says. “Thank you.”

Not all drivers react so politely. “Don’t you have anything better to do?” the rude ones say. Some still contend it’s their “right” not to wear a seat belt.

Technical Trooper Chad Crittenden stops a driver along I-135 for an expired license tag. For his safety with passing traffic, he stands to the passenger side of the vehicle while talking to the driver. 

In teaching safety, Crittenden urges his defensive-driving students to avoid the situation that often causes aggressive driving: leaving late and giving in to the urge to drive too fast and on edge. So he reminds his students to leave early and avoid the aggression and stress.

It comes down to this, he says: Patience saves lives. It translates to not speeding around every car, maybe waiting a second or two longer and passing safely, under control.

When he exits onto a ramp, for example, he checks his mirror to make sure someone isn’t closing in on him too quickly. He’s alert to the potential danger of impatient drivers.

And then it happens: Minutes after he talks about the importance of staying patient, while driving east on K-96 approaching Rock Road, he notices a car right behind his marked patrol unit.

The driver “is in a hurry,” he says. “She’s going to tailgate a trooper,” he exclaims, before she veers off onto the exit ramp to Rock, seemingly oblivious to or unfazed by the traffic safety enforcer in front of her.

She was lucky this time.

Another thing that should be part of the mindset, part of preparation for driving: Getting enough sleep. Crittenden views a drowsy driver as being just as dangerous as a drunken driver. The only difference is the legality.

So while teaching his defensive-driving classes, he asks his students how many of them got eight hours of sleep the night before.

Only a few raise their hands.

More than 200 people participate in Kansas City and Topeka local consult meetings this week

Increased flexibility allows KDOT to meet more needs and deliver better transportation services across the state.

The more than 200 northeast Kansans who gathered in Topeka and Kansas City emphasized the importance of flexibility during the second round of Local Consult meetings this week.

KDOT used the input gathered at the first round of Local Consult meetings in August to shape not only the public input sessions that are underway now, but also the next major state transportation plan, known as FORWARD. The second round of meetings is designed to make sure we are on the right track with FORWARD’s design – and to make sure we better understand regional priorities for expansion and modernization projects.

Participants also provided feedback about how KDOT could improve its business models and solve more transportation problems.  The pent-up demand for transportation was evident once again with one breakout group summing up its discussion by stating, “we’re ready to cost share, ready to discuss project scopes – and ready to get things done.”

Themes heard across the meetings include:

• Make funding for modal and set-aside programs more flexible to meet more needs. Participants stressed that in some years you may have more needs in one area than others –rather than allocating specific amounts to each program every year, KDOT should have the ability to increase or reduce funding levels depending on the immediate needs. Participants also suggested finding ways to combine funds between programs to create more multimodal solutions.

• Increase funding for the Cost-Share program – but that can’t be the only answer. The newly launched Cost-Share program is popular among Kansans, however, participants also acknowledged that not every community has the resources to contribute the necessary funding match. Thus, it’s important that the increasing funding for the program is not at the expense of other local programs that communities rely on.

•  Develop common-sense business improvements, like streamlining the application process for Local Programs. Currently, there are different application deadlines for the various programs KDOT offers.  Participants recommended the agency adopt one comprehensive, online application that would allow projects to be considered for multiple programs. In addition, they encouraged the agency to offer a refresher course to educate the public on the various programs/resources that are available to communities.

•  Consider new approaches and programs.  Northeast Kansans were supportive of passing lanes as a cost-effective approach to improve congestion and they encouraged exploring alternative delivery methods for major projects.  They also recommended adding an environmental spending category and expanding the Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) program to include an innovative technology component.

Priorities for the highway pipeline. During the breakout sessions, participants were asked to prioritize highway modernization and expansion needs in the Northeast region of Kansas, which includes both urban and rural areas. Participants were divided into different groups and asked to identify which projects would be consider a high or medium priority, based on their knowledge of local and regional needs.  The charts below show the results of this exercise.  The left-hand columns each represent one breakout group recommendations.

The FORWARD Advisory Group requested that we ask participants about ideas for funding this significant transportation program.  Participants emphasized that it would be important to leverage more local dollars to help fund transportation, but the property tax lid in state statute hinders the ability for local communities to raise revenues.  Stakeholders also noted it is important to expand revenue streams since motor fuel tax revenue remains stagnant.  

They encourage the state to explore road usage charges, congestion pricing, tolling (where appropriate), and higher fines for overweight vehicles. They also suggested reducing the number of lane miles the state is responsible for overseeing to help reduce annual maintenance costs.

It’s not over.  We still have four more local consult meetings across the state, but even when those wrap up, the conversations will continue.  KDOT will continue to have ongoing dialogue with stakeholders to ensure we’re addressing your feedback and to help us continue to get better.  Stay tuned for more.

And we look forward to seeing you in Wichita next week!