Kdot

Kansas Department of Transportation officials have apologized for confusion over recent changes to highways in Kingman and Reno counties. The announcement comes one day after Reno County officials shared their concerns that renaming the highways could hamper emergency response time efforts. Emergency managers said drivers who didn't know about the changes reported an incident, and dispatchers would have to interpret where exactly emergency crews should respond. Click here to read KDOT's full apology In a Facebook post, KDOT said the official change was misinterpreted and should not have occurred.

Businessman Jon Callen started his career at the turnpike decades ago.  He says it got into his blood.  That's why he wrote a letter to Eyewitness News detailing his concerns about the proposed merger. "I would hope that they will slow down and take time to really look at this closely," said Callen about lawmakers discussions on the merger.  "Currently the turnpike is self sufficient.  That's the way it was designed.  And it doesn't cost the state any money at all. " Every toll paid to travel the turnpike goes right back into keeping the road in good condition.

A Kansas Department of Transportation project for bridge repairs on four K-96 bridges will begin Saturday, August 4 and a ramp from Kellogg will close for 10 days. The bridges are located in east Wichita and include the Central and 127th Street E. bridges over K-96 plus the eastbound and westbound K-96 bridges over Kellogg. The eastbound Kellogg ramp to westbound K-96 closure will begin Saturday and continue for 10 days while repairs are made on the westbound K-96 bridge over Kellogg.

A Scott County man is alive thanks to the work of K-Dot crews in Western Kansas.  Last month, 44-year-old Chad Griffith had a heart attack.  He needed to get to the closest hospital with heart surgeons, which was Hays Medical Center 120 miles away. Under normal circumstances, Griffith would have been flown to the hospital but air ambulances were grounded because of blizzard like conditions.  With 12-15 inches of snow piled up, K-Dot was also closing roads.  Scott County EMT's knew Griffith was running out of time and needed surgery as quickly as possible.  He had a 99% blockage in an artery of his heart, a condition commonly known as the 'widow maker'.

Rose Hill is getting some new sidewalks and that's good news for children who walk to and from school every day. The City of Rose Hill has received a $250,000 grant from the Kansas Department of Transportation to add new sidewalks through neighborhoods near the school campus. "We're very excited about this, said City Administrator Kathy Raney. It's the third time Rose Hill applied for the state money and this time it was granted. The plan is to add sidewalks on Warren Avenue and Bentwood Dr. that connect from Silknetter to School St. The change will mean safer trips to and from school for children who walk or ride bikes.

The heat is posing problem for more than just farmers and their crops.  The heat can also cause damage to roadways and the workers who have to fix them.  Over the years the Kansas Department of Transportation has developed ways to keep its workers safe in the heat. The state's roadwork can't come to a stop just because it's hot out.  Grass must still be mowed, roads repaired, and debris collected. So when the thermometer hits the triple digits, the Kansas Department of Transportation institutes a series of precautions designed to keep its workers safe.

Viewers are asking FactFinder 12 why they're seeing cameras go up around the city. “Who's watching it? Who has access to it? Who's paying for it?” asks Jeffery Wells. The cameras are part of a new KDOT traffic safety program. Sedgwick County dispatch monitors six “test” cameras right now on busy Wichita highways. Dispatch only watches the video.  Nothing is recorded. “KDOT has made it clear they don't want it recorded or want us zooming in on tag numbers.

Free flowing traffic will take a back seat to construction on Interstate 70. The work in Ellsworth, Lincoln and Russell counties has drivers bottled up as crews put down what they call a new combination road service. "Were very excited we can come out here and improve the quality of I-70 moving west out of Salina," says David Greiser with the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT). Several lanes have been shut down as workers dig up old worn down asphalt and lay fresh concrete.

The Kansas Department of Transportation has reopened Interstate 70 from Colby to the Colorado state line. KDOT closed the highway westbound earlier Thursday afternoon due to poor visibility and strong winds. The National Weather Service reported non-thunderstorm wind gusts of 60 to 70 mph in northwestern Kansas on Thursday afternoon.

A new survey by the Kansas Department of Transportation aims to identify statewide bicycling and pedestrian needs. Click here to take the survey Becky Pepper, KDOT bicycle pedestrian coordinator, said Kansans can weigh in on a plan to enhance bicycle and pedestrian paths. “The survey will help us better understand how to use limited resources for bicycling and pedestrian facilities in Kansas,” Pepper said.  Survey respondents will be asked how they use and value bicycling and walking facilities and policies and whether changes are needed.