Work to begin soon on Garden City’s U.S. 50/83 bypass

KDOT Crews in Garden City hoist a detour sign into place. 

 The U.S. 50/83/400 bypass in Garden City is one of the most heavily traveled highways in Southwest Kansas carrying almost 11,000 vehicles per day with 23 percent of those being heavy commercial traffic. 

According to Brian Kierath, Jr. with KDOT’s Bureau of Road Design in Topeka, “This project is a full depth pavement reconstruction to replace concrete and asphalt pavement, some of which dates back to 1984. Pavement age, combined with a high percentage of truck traffic makes this a necessary project at this time.”

Koss Construction is the contractor on this $11.2 million project which started Wednesday, March 20 and is expected to be completed in December. 

The project will be completed in phases and includes the following improvements:    

• The addition of turn lanes at Campus Drive facilitating smoother traffic flow;
• Improved lighting at the Fulton Street interchange;
• A dynamic messaging sign (DMS) being added along U.S. 50 east of Campus Drive to advise drivers of road conditions; 
• Improvements to the City system at Spruce Street through a partnership between the City of Garden City and KDOT which will limit road closures at this intersection for the traveling public.

KDOT crews in Garden City install signage the help drivers navigate the detour.