Throwback Thursday

Today, we're going back to a construction project near Strong City in 1953.

Happy Back to the Future Day

In the movie, Back to the Future II, Marty McFly time travels from 1985 to see his future self on Oct. 21, 2015.  While we don't all have flying cars or hoverboards, there are many ways that technology has impacted transportation a great deal since 1985.  Computers have made the biggest difference in both improving automobile safety and in the overall design and construction of infrastructure.

While driverless cars and connected vehicles are the headliners, there's a number of smaller innovations that are impacting transportation today, which are lesser known.

Electronic deliverable plans to contractors:  Traditionally, engineers develop plans digitally for transportation projects.  These digital plans are then printed on paper for contractors to take to the construction site.  The transfer from digital to paper often lack some of the necessary detail leaving the contractors with many questions about what the designer had in mind.  Now files can be transferred electronically and viewed in its original form on the construction site eliminating a lot of confusion. The Oregon Department of Transportation estimates that it saves an average of six percent in construction cost and 40 percent in time on each project by utilizing this new technology.

Crowd-sourced traffic data:  Whether it's checking Yelp for restaurant reviews or Trip Advisor to see how others rated a hotel, most people have made a decision about where to eat or sleep based on advice from strangers.  But you may not be aware that you can use crowd-sourced data to avoid a traffic jam or to find a quiet spot in your city.  Apps like Waze, Stereopublic, BlaBlaCar to name a few rely on user reports to improve the navigation or carpooling opportunities for other users.

Drones monitor progress on construction sites: Some construction companies are utilizing drones to fly over construction projects to gather video footage. That footage is then converted into a three-dimensional picture of the site, which is fed into software that compares it to computerized architectural plans as well as a the construction work plan showing when each element should be finished. The software can show managers how the project is progressing, and can automatically highlight parts that may be falling behind schedule.  This increases productivity and efficiency of projects.

Tuesday Trivia

Deer-vehicle crashes increase in the fall when mating season and the quest for a more secure habitat have deer on the move.  For more tips about how to avoid deer collisions, please click here.  And test your knowledge on how prevalent these crashes are below. 

1. Which Kansas county had the most deer-vehicle crashes in 2014?
A. Sedgwick County
B. Barton County
C. Riley County
D. Johnson County

The correct answer is Sedgwick County, which had 422.

2. About how many deer-vehicle crashes occur in Kansas each year?
A. 5,000 or less
B. 10,000
C. 20,000
D. 50,000

The correct answer is around 10,000.  Over the last five years, Kansas has averaged about 9,700 deer-vehicle crashes per year.

Motorists should be alert for harvest traffic

Fall harvest season is in full swing, which means it’s time to share the road with equipment and trucks from Kansas’ more than 61,000 farms.

KDOT and the Kansas Highway Patrol offer the following harvest travel safety tips:

• Slow down! Farm equipment moves slower than you. Use the orange triangle on the back of farm machinery as a cue to reduce your speed.

• Share the road: Tractors, trucks and combines take up more lane space than a normal vehicle. Allow plenty of room when following and be extra cautious when passing farm equipment.

•  Stay alert: Expect heavy truck traffic near grain elevators and co-ops. Grain trucks may be stopped on the road while waiting to unload grain. Consider using an alternate route away from elevators.

• Watch for turns: Be aware of trucks and equipment pulling on to roads from fields. Also be prepared for farm equipment to suddenly turn off of the road into a field entrance.

• Don’t assume: Farmers aren’t always able to see vehicles around them. Don’t assume they know you are there.

•  See tracks, think train: Grain goes to market by train as well as truck! Be watchful when approaching railroad crossings.

And, as always, make sure you and your passengers are buckled up every trip, every time.

Throwback Thursday

Today, we're going back to October 2013 to the demolition of the Amelia Earhart Bridge in Atchison. Check out the video below to see the destruction.

How fast was Hosmer's homer?

In honor of game 5 of the ALDS today, we're taking a look at the exit velocity of the homerun Eric Hosmer hit on Monday to seal the Royals' victory.  Spoiler alert: That ball would have been issued a speeding ticket anywhere in Kansas. Check out the video below to find out how fast it went.

$115 million of projects let in September

A $102 million project was part of the Sept. 23, 2015 letting recently approved. The project is in the city of Wichita and involves enhancements in the area of the I-235/U.S. 54 interchange. The work will improve the safety and efficiency of this heavily-traveled section by constructing and/or rehabilitating 15 bridges and adding auxiliary lanes to eliminate lane-weaving. The reconstruction of the West Street interchange is also included.

Ten other highway, bridge and maintenance projects were also approved in the month’s $115 million letting. To see more details, click here.