I-70 reconstruction project continuing in Gove County

By Lisa Mussman, 

Northwest Kansas Public Affairs Manager  

A multi-year reconstruction project on a portion of I-70 in Gove County in northwest Kansas has kicked into high gear for the summer.

The eastbound lanes have been milled down in preparation for the new pavement this will be installed this summer and fall.

 Project work includes pavement replacement on both the eastbound and westbound lanes on a nine-mile stretch starting one mile west of the K-23 spur near Grainfield and ending four miles east of K-211. Work began last fall with the installation of temporary crossovers in preparation for the new pavement, with the eastbound lanes scheduled to be completed in 2019 and westbound lanes in 2020.

Construction crews work on the new span bridge that will carry eastbound I-70 over Gove County Road 62. 

Additional project work also includes pavement replacement at the eastbound and westbound rest areas near Grainfield, construction of new right of way fencing, lighting installation at exits 95 and 99, and reconstruction of the box structure carrying Gove County Road 62 under I-70 into two new span bridges.

Part of the project includes polymer overlays on the bridges at exits 95 and 99. Crews first prepare the surface for treatment by shotblasting, followed by an application of epoxy and covered by chat. The surface is then cleaned and a second layer of epoxy and chat are applied. The overlay will help seal any cracks and not allow water and salt to penetrate into the surface, helping to extend the life of the bridge.

 

Traffic through the construction area has been to one lane in each direction in the westbound lanes. Drivers are urged to slow down and use caution when traveling through work zones!

Updates on the project and current travel impacts can be found at www.I70Gove.com. For information on additional construction projects around the state, visit www.kandrive.org.

Improvements to I-70 wrap up just in time for the holidays

Improvements on a stretch of I-70 in Ellis County have wrapped up just in time for this year’s busy holiday travel season.

The project began in late July and spanned a 15-mile portion of the interstate, starting at Exit 159 at Hays and extending east to the Russell County line. Work included a mill and overlay on both the east and westbound driving lanes as well as resurfacing on the shoulders and exit and entrance ramps on five interchanges located along the project route. Crews also installed new pavement markings and rumble strips.

In addition to the Ellis County project, work on temporary crossovers I-70 in Gove County also has concluded for the year. The crossovers were constructed in preparation for the pavement replacement that will take place in 2019 and 2020.

Completion of these projects could not have come at a better time as a record-breaking number of Americans will be hitting the nation’s highways, skies and rails this holiday season. AAA expects upwards of 112.5 million travelers, up 4.4 percent from last year and the most since the organization began tracking holiday travel.

DUI roadside memorial marker unveiled

Gov. Jeff Colyer stands with  Barby Jobe, Robin Thornburg and Doug Thornburg stand beside the Lost to DUI Roadside Memorial, which honors their children who died in a a drunk driving crash in 2011. 

The first DUI Roadside Memorial Marker in the state was unveiled on Monday, April 9 at the KDOT office in Ellsworth. The new Lost to DUI memorial markers are a part of the Kyle Thornburg and Kylie Jobe Believe Act that was approved by the Kansas Legislature and signed by former Gov. Sam Brownback in 2016.

The Kyle Thornburg and Kylie Jobe Believe Act honors these two students who were killed on March 23, 2011.  Jobe and Thornburg were returning to Wichita from a Colorado ski trip during spring break.  They were both killed in a crash on I-70 when a 27-year-old man entered the interstate going in the wrong direction and hit them head on.  He was also killed and was later found to have a blood alcohol level of .23, almost three times the legal limit.

At the request of Barby Jobe Myers (Kylie’s mother), former Rep. Mark Hutton brought forth legislation to create and install roadside signs to memorialize victims of drunk/impaired driving.  “We hope the memorial markers encourage people to reflect on the innocent lives lost to someone driving under the influence.  We also believe the signs will create an awareness about personal responsibility and an understanding that some choices have consequences that affect more people than just themselves,” said Jobe Myers.

The legislation established and implemented a DUI memorial signage program on highways under the Secretary of Transportation’s jurisdiction that are not city connecting links.  A memorial marker was designed with a unique logo symbolizing the cycle of life and an individual thumbprint with the title, Lost to DUI.  Below that, the names and ages of victims lost to a drunk driver are listed.  The marker for Jobe and Thornburg stands at the scene of the crash at mile marker 210 on eastbound I-70.

Remembering those whose lives have been cut short because of drunk driving may not bring the victims back, but we can honor their memory and work to raise awareness about the dangers and consequences of driving while intoxicated. 

For more information about the memorial marker program, please visit: https://kdotapp.ksdot.org/MemorialMarker/index.aspx

Real time truck parking availability signs along I-70 on list of approved September lettings

An example of the Truck Parking Information Management Systems (TPIMS)

A project that will provide real time information regarding truck parking availability at rest areas along I-70 through the use of roadside signs and an electronic data feed was one of the projects included in the Sept. 20 KDOT construction letting.

KDOT is participating in the Regional Truck Parking Information Management Systems (TPIMS) along with seven other states in the Mid America Association of State Transportation Official (MAASTO) region. Custom Lighting Services LLC DBA Black and McDonald of Kansas City, Mo., is the prime contractor on the $3,083,462 project.

To see all of the projects in the Sept. 20 letting, click here.

Work Zone Wednesday: Multi-phase bridge project along I-70

Work continues on the multi-phase bridge project along I-70 in Ellis County. The project is expected to be completely finished in December, weather permitting. 

Work is progressing on a multi-phase bridge project along I-70 in eastern Ellis County.

Both the east and westbound bridges carrying I-70 over Old Highway 40 and the Union Pacific railroad near Walker have undergone major renovations. The project started in fall 2016 with the installation of temporary crossovers in preparation for the bridge deck replacements and concrete patching and overlays that have taken place this spring and summer.

The eastbound portion was completed at the end of July and work is currently taking place on the westbound structures. Work is expected to be finished by the end of October. The temporary crossovers will then be removed and the project completely finished in December.

Bridges Inc. of Newton is the primary contractor with a total project cost of approximately $2 million.