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PITTSBURG —
Much of the attention in the aftermath of Gov. Sam Brownback’s announcement in June 2011 of the new highway construction projects included in the 10-year T-WORKS transportation plan went to the highest profile project — the four-lane expansion of U.S. Highway 69 from Fort Scott to Arma.
But that wasn’t the only project in this neck of the woods that was announced at that event. Included on the list was the planned modernization of Kansas Highway 7 from Cherokee to Columbus.
The next step on that project will be today in Columbus, as an open house will be held from 4:30-6:30 p.m. at the Columbus Community Building. A meeting for local officials will be held before the open house, at 3:30 p.m.
“This is a T-WORKS project, so we wanted to get the community up to speed on where it is in the process,” said Kansas Department of Transportation spokesperson Priscilla Petersen. “We’re looking at a 2016 date on construction.”
KDOT’s website is even more specific, planning an April 28, 2016 start date and a finish date more than a year later on June 9, 2017. But those dates, since they are several years away, are still up in the air and are not set in stone.
Petersen said Thursday’s meeting will show aerial photos of the planned project site, with properties affected. The open house will also discuss sequencing, a timeline, and the right-of-way acquisition process.
Two years ago, at a similar open house in February 2010, area residents noted that the lack of shoulders on the road and the frequent truck traffic.
KDOT told the community at that meeting that the existing road is 26 feet wide with roughly 2-foot wide shoulders in each direction. The plan at that time and now was to add 10-foot shoulders, eliminate minor hills and improve the ditches on each side. At the time, the plan was split into two parts, from Cherokee to Scammon and then from Scammon to Columbus.
The proposed cost has also ballooned in just the last few years. At that February 2010 meeting, the estimated cost was close to $19 million. During the planning stages for the T-WORKS efforts, the cost was estimated at $33 million. Finally, on KDOT’s website, the estimated project cost is now projected at close to $42 million (not counting non-construction costs, which tack on another $9 million).
Andrew Nash can be reached at andrew.nash@morningsun.net or by calling 231-2600 ext. 140.
Much of the attention in the aftermath of Gov. Sam Brownback’s announcement in June 2011 of the new highway construction projects included in the 10-year T-WORKS transportation plan went to the highest profile project — the four-lane expansion of U.S. Highway 69 from Fort Scott to Arma.
But that wasn’t the only project in this neck of the woods that was announced at that event. Included on the list was the planned modernization of Kansas Highway 7 from Cherokee to Columbus.
The next step on that project will be today in Columbus, as an open house will be held from 4:30-6:30 p.m. at the Columbus Community Building. A meeting for local officials will be held before the open house, at 3:30 p.m.
“This is a T-WORKS project, so we wanted to get the community up to speed on where it is in the process,” said Kansas Department of Transportation spokesperson Priscilla Petersen. “We’re looking at a 2016 date on construction.”
KDOT’s website is even more specific, planning an April 28, 2016 start date and a finish date more than a year later on June 9, 2017. But those dates, since they are several years away, are still up in the air and are not set in stone.
Petersen said Thursday’s meeting will show aerial photos of the planned project site, with properties affected. The open house will also discuss sequencing, a timeline, and the right-of-way acquisition process.
Two years ago, at a similar open house in February 2010, area residents noted that the lack of shoulders on the road and the frequent truck traffic.
KDOT told the community at that meeting that the existing road is 26 feet wide with roughly 2-foot wide shoulders in each direction. The plan at that time and now was to add 10-foot shoulders, eliminate minor hills and improve the ditches on each side. At the time, the plan was split into two parts, from Cherokee to Scammon and then from Scammon to Columbus.
The proposed cost has also ballooned in just the last few years. At that February 2010 meeting, the estimated cost was close to $19 million. During the planning stages for the T-WORKS efforts, the cost was estimated at $33 million. Finally, on KDOT’s website, the estimated project cost is now projected at close to $42 million (not counting non-construction costs, which tack on another $9 million).
Andrew Nash can be reached at andrew.nash@morningsun.net or by calling 231-2600 ext. 140.
