Kdot

Over the last month, Highway 254 has earned itself a reputation. "It really concerns me when I see the number of accidents that are occurring," says Tracy Phillips. "Pay attention. " Attention is now what a portion of Highway 254 is getting. Three fatalities over one weekend in August prompted an investigation by KDOT of four intersections along the corridor. On Thursday, KDOT revealed its findings in a report concerning Rock, Greenwich, Webb and Ohio Street.

The Kansas Department of Transportation continues looking at options for expanding passenger rail service in Kansas. KDOT announced today that they've narrowed the options down to two alternatives. One of them is nighttime service between Newton and Fort Worth, Texas. The other is a daytime service between Kansas City and Fort Worth. KDOT says a Service Development Plan (SDP) will be compiled for each of the two alternatives. The SDP is a detailed business plan that outlines the steps necessary to expand passenger rail service as well as how it would operate.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - The Kansas transportation secretary says federal stimulus money have brought more than 3,300 transportation jobs to the state. Deb Miller, secretary of the Kansas Department of Transportation, says the jobs have a monthly payroll of $4.4 million. The state received $378 million in federal funds for transportation projects. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that the transportation department says the stimulus package had created 3,375 jobs as of May, a 13 percent increase from April and a 47 percent increase since March.

By Cliff Judy (BUTLER COUNTY, Kan.) You may have recently noticed Kansas Department of Transportation crews replacing hundreds of what look like perfectly good signs along Highway 254. KDOT tells us they were perfectly good 10 years ago and need to be replaced for safety. The thousands of highway signs replaced each year in Kansas cost of hundreds of dollars each.  Eyewitness News continues to look into projects around the state, how much they cost, and how they affect you. Right now, Kansas Department of Transportation crews are replacing more than 1,000 highway signs in Sedgwick, Butler, and Harvey Counties.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - It's one thing to hear about potholes and state budgets. It's another to see how the two are connected. That's part of the thinking behind a new video presentation on YouTube this week from the Kansas Department of Transportation. Using still photographs, charts and video, the transportation department produced a video that explains the impact of reducing state spending for road maintenance. Click to Watch the Video Secretary Deb Miller says Wednesday the video is meant to show Kansans and people interested in highway spending the impact of highway spending being reduced by $257 million during the past year.

(HAYSVILLE, Kan.) Taking $28 million from KDOT's budget means taking money away from road projects. The Kansas Department of Transportation says it will cut 84 projects if the governor's proposal goes through. That includes the repairs planned for State Bridge #352. Drivers know it as the bridge on Broadway spanning the Big Ditch. "Go across it every day," said Jamie Mainzer, "for me to go to work, my wife to go to work. " And he uses his car to do that.

    The following is a statement from Kansas Transportation Secretary Deb Miller regarding Governor Parkinson's announcement to sweep funds from the State Highway Fund into the State General Fund.   "There are few options left to balance the budget this late in the fiscal year, so I understand the steps the Governor has taken. But in this tough economic time, the $257 million in cuts this year to the State Highway Fund are beyond stunning. The burden of balancing the state budget has fallen very heavily on the construction industry.

by Sarah Kallail (WICHITA, Kan.) The Kansas Department of Transportation says proposed budget cuts will cost the state jobs and hurt the state's highway system. Monday Governor Mark Parkinson announced his plan to balance the state budget, which is currently facing a $259 million deficit. KDOT says it will transfer $50 million from the State Highway Fund to the State General Fund to address the state's financial crisis. It says that will eliminate highway preservation projects, such as resurfacing, and equipment purchases.

By John Boyd The Kansas Department of Transportation hopes purple-colored pavement will help make roads safer near Minneola.  KDOT is taking part in a research project that includes installling purple pavement on US-283 at the north and south ends of Minneola beginning October 29th. Map of Minneola The purple pavement is achieved using a product called Tyregrip over the existing pavement.  According to the manufacturer, Ennis Paint, Inc., the pavement, provides traffic calming by alerting drivers to upcoming changes far enough in advance to aid driver decision-making.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - Travelers in Kansas have a new way to see where they're going -- literally. The Kansas Department of Transportation's road condition Web site now has camera views of eight busy locations on Kansas highways, and there are more to come. KDOT says the locations were selected because they are placed widely enough to show conditions across the state. The current sites include four along Interstate 70 -- at Junction City, Salina, Walker (nine miles east of Hays)