The tricky job of patching highways in Kansas

Crews at work filling potholes in north central Kansas 

By Ashley Perez
North Central Kansas 
Public Affairs Manager

Highway maintenance supervisors check their routes regularly for potholes and more. So when Kort St. Clair, Supervisor in McPherson, saw potholes on I-135, he sent his crew out as soon as possible. Equipment Operators came from Council Grove with equipment to help other Equipment Operators from McPherson as soon as they received St. Clair’s assignment. But little did they know that in a couple weeks they would be tackling the same potholes again. But why? 

Equipment Operator rakes material over the pothole while another Equipment
Operator walks behind the truck and sprays material on other areas.  

Several methods of patching are used across the state, and unfortunately it is sometimes hard to tell which of those methods will be the best to use. When patching on the warm December day, the crew chose to use a method called spray patching. Spray patching is when a pothole or crack is thoroughly cleaned using equipment to remove any loose debris.

Hot emulsion oil is then sprayed in the hole or crack to allow an aggregate, such as gravel, to bond and fill the voids. 

In early January, the crew was sent back out to fill the same potholes but this time with a different method, using a cold-weather patch. 

This mix is used as a temporary fix in lower temperatures to fill in the pothole. Finding the best method with varying conditions during the winter can be tricky. 

Even with a perfect pothole patch, it is still vulnerable to break open again due to freeze and thaw cycles. The crew will monitor that area to confirm that the cold weather patch holds up until more permanent repairs can be made to the road. 

“Not every pothole repair is the same but our crews will keep working on them to keep highways in good condition,” St. Clair said. “I ask that you please move over and slow down when driving through our work zones so that highway workers can return home safely to their families.” 

KDOT’s old Lawrence subarea facility demolished

During the last week of 2019 the old Lawrence subarea facility located in north Lawrence across the road from Teepee Junction was demolished.  The original building was constructed in 1964 at a cost of $74,262, which works out to a little over $15 a square foot and was used until early 2016, when the remaining personnel were moved in to a new facility on East 25^th St. constructed in partnership with Douglas County Public Works/Zoning and Codes.

Over the years the facility housed the Lawrence Construction office, Maintenance Personnel, Geology office and during some part of the 1980’s the Kansas Highway Patrol.  In 2015 the Lawrence Geology office was officially moved to the Topeka Geology office located at KDOT’s Gage Boulevard facility.

KDOT will continue to use the site, however, there are not any plans to construct any new buildings on this site.

In 2019 a KDOT facility in Eureka was demolished due to 2018 tornado damage and a new facility was remodeled and constructed.

New law requires escort vehicle drivers to be registered

An escort vehicle follows a overwidth/overweight vehicle .

A new law passed by the Kansas Legislature went into effect on Jan. 1 that requires escort vehicle companies/service providers working with overwidth/overweight vehicles to be registered with the Kansas Secretary of Transportation, according to the Kansas Department of Transportation.

The statute states that escort vehicle drivers must be registered, successfully complete an escort vehicle training course, and have a valid driver’s license. There is no fee to register or to renew a registration. Registration is valid for one year.

“This change has added requirements between the escorts and the oversize/overweight vehicles, which will help improve safety and communication so there is a better understanding of the routes to be used and where everyone should be when moving these loads,” said Dominique Shannon, KDOT Bridge Evaluation Engineer. 

KDOT worked with agency partners and law enforcement on the registration requirements for escort vehicle service providers. Starting this month, if an overwidth/overweight vehicle gets stopped for any reason by a law enforcement officer, the officer may verify that any driver escorting the overwidth/overweight vehicle is registered to operate in Kansas.

“If a driver escorting an overwidth/overweight vehicle is not registered, the officer may require the load to stop until it has a registered escort driver,” Shannon said.

To register as an escort vehicle service provider, visit the K-TRIPS website at www.k-trips.com and create a user account. After a user account is created, all required registration information for the vehicles and the drivers can be entered through the Company Data. To ask questions or for more details, there is a live chat option on the website or call 785-368-6501 during business hours.

KDOT burns pollinator habitat to support new growth

KDOT employees burned about 15 acres of native plant habitat to make room for more plants and to remove
unwanted vegetation.  

Working amidst sheets of smoke while dodging charred grass shards floating down from above, on the morning of Nov. 25 employees from the KDOT Ottawa and Garnett offices burned off about 15 acres of native plant pollinator habitat at the I-35 Homewood rest areas.

The ground was initially burned in 2017, after Homewood was selected as the first location in Kansas for the project to create pollinator habitat for the Monarch butterfly. I-35 is known as the ‘Monarch Highway,’ where the colorful Monarchs stop frequently on their migrations between Mexico and Canada.

By burning the area, unwanted vegetation species have been removed and nutrients have been recycled back into the soil to support new growth of the milkweed and wildflowers. 

 A grant from the organization Monarch Watch provided funding to plant the area with 1,152 milkweed plugs, as milkweed is considered a key plant to the survival of the Monarch. In addition to placing the milkweed plugs, KDOT crews planted a mixture consisting of 23 species of native wildflowers and grasses at Homewood.

Melissa Davidson, Engineering Technician Specialist with the Bureau of Right-of-Way, was on hand to assist with November’s controlled burn. “Native grasses like to be burned in the fall” instead of the spring, she explained. "The prescribed burn helped remove unwanted species from the area, and recycled nutrients back to the soil to support the new growth of the milkweed and wildflowers. 

Davidson said that since the special pollinator habitat was established in 2017, the rest areas have experienced a noticeable uptick in the numbers of brilliant Monarch visitors.

To prepare for the burn, Ottawa Supervisor Bruce Myres said the crews first cut a 15-foot path through tall grass on the border of the burn area. 

Myres lit the fires using propane and a weed burner, working in sections from east to west. “Basically, we did a back burn,” he said. The work began at the rest area on the southbound lanes, with crew members wielding shovels and a leaf blower to put out the fires as they reached the edges of the habitat.

“When we burned it the first time, the native grasses really came back,” Myres recalled. 

Myres said that KDOT plans to establish a new area of pollinator habitat at the junction of I-35 and U.S. 59. Other efforts to develop habitat in southeast Kansas continue at the rest areas on U.S. 69 at Trading Post and U.S. 169/U.S. 400 in Montgomery County.

Davidson has created a webpage dedicated to providing information and updates on KDOT’s pollinator habitat efforts. The page can be accessed at  http://pollinatorpartners.ksdot.org/ and is also on the KDOT website.

“Little by little people are learning about what we are doing, and we’ve gotten many great comments about it,” Davidson said.

Healthy mocktails could help you ring in the new year safely

In just a few hours we will be ringing in a brand new decade, surrounded by loved ones, great friends and delicious food and drinks — both alcoholic and non-alcoholic alike.  

Hats off to the designated drivers who chose to go alcohol free and help get their friends and loved ones home this holiday season. 

In years past, being the designated driver meant an evening of sugary juice filled mocktails, caffeinated colas or ginger ale.  But according to the Washington Post a new era of moderation seems to be upon us, with health-conscious Americans drinking less.  In fact, the Washington Post reports that 30% of Americans do not consume alcohol at all and an additional 30% consume two drinks or less per week. 

The food and beverage industry has responded with non-alcoholic beers, wines and spirits, and zero-proof cocktails taking center stage on many drink menus, making it easier and more enjoyable than ever to go alcohol free at home or at holiday events. 

So, if you’re the holiday host, the designated driver or just going alcohol free for your own reasons this year, you’ll find options that are both satisfying and interesting.  Here’s to getting off to a healthier, safer new year with zero proof and zero fatalities.

We have found a couple of recipes that we think you’ll enjoy at your next party.

Zero-Proof Strawberry Mojito, from https://www.southernkitchen.com/recipes/drink/zero-proof-strawberry-mojito

Serves: Makes 2 drinks

Hands On Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

6 strawberries, sliced, plus more for garnish
6 lime rounds
2 springs fresh mint
1/2 ounce agave syrup or honey
Ice cubes
Strawberry or plain sparkling water, to top off the glass

Instructions

Divide the strawberries, lime rounds and mint between two glasses of your choice. Muddle the fruit until it releases its juices. Muddle in the agave. Fill the glass with ice cubes, then top with the sparkling water. With a long spoon, stir all of the ingredients together. Garnish with additional strawberries and enjoy immediately.

The Garden Sour, from: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/10/t-magazine/food/dryanuary-no-alcohol-cocktails.html

∙ 1 ½ ounces Seedlip Garden

∙ ½ ounce aquafaba

∙ ¼ ounce simple syrup

∙ ¼ ounce celery

∙ ½ ounce apple

∙ ¼ ounce ​lemon Nigella seeds garnish

Method: Pour all ingredients into a Boston shaker. Dry shake (without ice). Add ice (enough to fill small side of cocktail shaker) and shake until frothy. Double strain into an 8-ounce coupe using Hawthorne and mesh strainers. Garnish with Nigella seeds.

Remember, if you do choose to drink alcohol, to rely on a sober designated driver, or call a ride share service to help get you home safely. 

Knights of the Night: How KDOT heroes help clear the roads after dark

By Ashley Perez
North Central Kansas
Public Affairs Manager

KDOT workers say that clearing the highways is rewarding, but the job can be dangerous.

Some crew members spend late nights during a snow storm driving defensively and hoping that nobody is about to pass them as they come up on a big snowdrift. They also must be able use their lights to try to see the edge of the road underneath all the snow.  

We  spoke to several KDOT workers to get more insight on working a snowstorm at night and even got a few suggestions from them for motorists so everyone can be equipped with the knowledge of how to travel safer this winter, here is a what they have to say:

Our crews not only battle colder temperatures, but also lower visibility at night. 

Low visibility:

“You have to work twice as hard at night because you don’t have the sun’s warmth to help thaw out the snow,” said Richard Adams, Equipment Operator in Minneapolis.

“Visibility at night is already low as the snow reflected off plow lights can be blinding, and when vehicles pass us and throw more snow in the air it is even harder to see where we are going,” said Max Bell, Shop Supervisor in Salina. “So we ask that you please avoid passing us and keep a safe distance.”

Damaged plows take important equipment off the roads for a long period of time,
please remember to give our crews room and time to work. 

Don’t crowd the plow

“We would like to remind motorists that although it may seem safer for traffic to follow right behind a plow truck, please keep your distance. It can be dangerous when vehicles follow too closely, because if we have to come to a sudden stop or slow down due to snow, they’ll hit us.  Not only do we have to pay attention to what we’re doing but also to them,” said David Bergman, Equipment Operator Specialist in Minneapolis.

The subarea crew in Beloit says this puts a damper on them when a truck is down due to being hit, and it take much longer to treat roads with less trucks.

If you’re stranded, stay in your car until help arrives

Brett Kuntz, Equipment Operator Senior in Abilene, would like to remind motorists how critical it is that they stay in their car and turn on their hazards or lights if they are stranded on the side of the road.

“This is important because we can’t see you until we get right up on you. ” said Kuntz.

Dennis Senters, Equipment Operator Senior in Beloit, also said to stay in your car if you are on the side of the road and added that it helps to yell because they try to listen when they come by as they often drive with the windows down in a cold cab to keep the windshield from fogging up and the snow from sticking.

“Wave a flashlight or flash dome light to help flag us down if you are on the side of a road,” says Brett Wildfong, Equipment Operator Specialist in Beloit.

Slow down, give us room

Jason Britt, Equipment Operator Specialist in Junction City would like to urge motorists to slow down and give them room. He says, “Although there’s less traffic at night, it’s also more dangerous as the temperatures drop. It’s scary to see cars spin out right in front of me and unfortunately, I’ve been hit twice in a truck.”

For some, such as Doug Newquist, Highway Supervisor in Beloit, working at night isn’t really a nightmare at all but rather an opportunity to be the community’s unsung hero. He says, “I will never forget when one journalist called us the “knights of the night” which couldn’t be more true because when we are out there we are able to check on motorists who may be stranded and in need of help when no one else is able to get to them, it’s very rewarding.” Like Doug, KDOT workers are ready to help you get to your destination safely this winter.

Don’t ruin the holidays by being a “pedtextrian"

The hustle and bustle of the holidays are upon us, and with just a week until Christmas is about to get even more distracting. Visiting shopping centers, attending parties, discussing holiday gifts with loved ones and even online shopping are a huge part of the season. During this festive time of year, we need to remember one thing – stay alert while traveling.

Whether you text or drive, or text and walk at the same time, both activities are dangerous. The National Safety Council said that distracted walking incidents are on the rise and everyone with a cell phone is at risk of serious injury if they don’t pay attention while walking.

In 2016, 5,987 pedestrians were killed in the United States.  A contributing factor for this rise in fatalities is not paying attention to our surroundings. This is putting our safety, and the safety of others, at risk.

The solution is simple: Stop using phones while walking, even if you aren’t at a crosswalk or intersection. Distracted walking incidents can happen virtually anywhere, even in our own homes or familiar places.

An added hazard to texting while walking is sidewalks that are covered in ice.

Both the NSC and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have some great tips to help walk safer and smarter:

• Don’t use your phone or smart device while walking.  If you aren’t paying attention, you may as well be walking blindfolded.
• Pay attention to vehicles: look left, then right, and then left again. Vehicles can travel large distances in a short timeframe. Never assume that you can beat a moving automobile.
• Be bright. Wear light colored clothing.
• Don’t wear headphones while walking. Like texting and walking, when we wear headphones we are sacrificing a crucial sense: our hearing.  The ability to hear an approaching vehicle can be an important warning sign that traffic is coming toward you.
• Never rely on a driver to stop, make sure they can see you. A great way to do this is to make eye contact with them. If you aren’t sure they have spotted you, don’t cross until it is safe.
• If your vision is blocked by another car or object, move to a safer location before crossing.
• Use crosswalks.
• Walk in groups.
• Never allow children younger than 10 to cross the street alone.

The holidays can be a wonderful time of year for many, and although our minds may be filled with presents, holiday treats, family and candy canes; if we use these tips the holidays could be jollier for everyone.