KDOT taking measures at crash site
Three teenagers were recently injured in a car crash at K-13 and U.S. Highway 24 north of Manhattan, and understandably, community leaders contacted KDOT expressing concern about this intersection. Since 2017, 29 crashes have occurred at this intersection with 21 of those crashes involving drivers failing to yield to westbound U.S. 24 traffic.
While KDOT is working on roundabouts as the long-term solution, we’re also taking near-term actions:
• KDOT is working closely with the Riley County Police Department and Public Works Department to increase the enforcement of speed limits. A portable speed display sign has been placed on U.S. 24 westbound so drivers are aware of their speed when approaching the intersection.
• KDOT is expediting the realignment of the left-turn lanes (or bays) to help prevent crashes. Relocating the left-turn bays means additional pavement needs to be installed, along with the appropriate pavement markings and minor grading. This work will be completed in five to six months, weather permitting. The height of the stop signs on both northbound and southbound K-13 will be raised, to add a “Divided Highway” sign to the southbound section of the intersection and a “Look Again” sign for both northbound and southbound K-13.
The long-term solution of building roundabouts at the intersections of K-13/U.S. 24 and K-113/U.S. 24 was initiated in 2021, including the purchase of right-of-way, utility relocations and project design. KDOT recognizes these improvements will affect local businesses, the township and private property owners along the intersection, and we’ll ask all parties for input before final design. Both intersection projects are planned to go out for bid in December 2023, with construction to begin in spring 2024.
In closing, I want to assure you KDOT is listening and we’re expediting the improvements.
Please be careful when driving and be sure to buckle up.
Burt Morey, P.E.
Deputy Secretary and State Transportation Engineer
Kansas Department
of Transportation
Wildcat wind power team: Champions in many ways
Members of the K-State Wildcat Wind Power team are national champions! The Wildcat Wind Power team was the overall First Place winner of the 2022 U.S. DOE Collegiate Wind Competition. In addition to their overall first place, the team also won the Turbine Testing Contest. But, really, they did much more!
Elementary and high school teams (seven from Kansas) were competing in the National KidWind Challenge at the same time the college teams were competing in the Collegiate Wind Competition. In fact, both competitions were sharing the same floor space.
Whenever the Wildcat Wind Power team members were finished with their assigned tasks, what did they do with their time? Did they go exploring San Antonio? Go down to the RiverWalk for a few drinks? Visit the San Antonioni Zoo? Check out the Alamo?
Well, they might have done some of those things, but the first thing they did was visit with the younger students in the KidWind Challenge, checking on their progress, providing advice, and being excellent Kansas State University ambassadors.
Two of the teams they assisted finished as Top Performers (aka, National Champions) in the Elementary and High School Divisions! So, yes, members of the Wildcat Wind Power team may have won the Collegiate Wind Competition, but they also won the hearts of those students and many of us involved in the KidWind Challenge. That is the mark of a true champion.
David Carter
521 Westview Drive
More reasons roads are in ‘poor’ condition
There may be additional reasons not mentioned as to the reason for why, as was reported in The Mercury, “Nearly a third of city’s roads in ‘poor’ or worse condition.” While I am sure is a major reason why it is becoming more expensive to maintain roads. I believe there are two other reasons
1. Vehicles are heavier, and heavy types of vehicles are more popular, this is not hard to see just from looking at vehicles on the road, SUVs and Trucks are becoming the majority of vehicles on the road and they are becoming heavier. I drove an older F-150 when working on my grandfathers and fathers farm it was about 4000 lbs, where my dads 2013 F-150 which was needed for pulling the headers between fields, it was closer to 6,000 lbs. As vehicle weight increases it exponentially does more damage to roads. My fathers truck did over 3-4 times more damage to the roadway when my late 80s F-150. More heavy vehicles is going to make roads become damaged faster and so repairing will cost more.
2. Increases in freeze and thaw cycles, with the changing climate we have also been likely seeing more freeze thaw cycles which means more damage to roadways. I don’t have direct evidence, maybe someone more into data science then I could pull weather records and compare the number and see if this might be the case.
Bre Marihugh
2615 Blueline Circle
