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highways

KDOT Lettings: April 2023

There are 17 projects up for bidding on April 19.

Federal-Aid:

73-03 KA 3889-01: Replace bridge #014 over the Walnut Creek Drainage 4.55 miles northwest of the Thomas Road (former K-74) intersection. One-lane traffic through the work zone controlled by a temporary traffic signal.

77-58 KA 3923-01: Replace the bridge over Fawn creek on US 77/K-9 and reconstruct the east approach. One-lane traffic through the work zone controlled by a temporary traffic signal.

27 TE 0492-01: Construct a new Pedestrian/Bike Path along the west side of Grand Avenue (K-14) between Grace Avenue and the Smoky Hill River bridge.

36-77 KA 5987-01: Grading and surfacing on Grant Steet between 5th and 7th in Atwood. (no plans)

40-100 KA 3914-01: Replace the South Fork Smoky Hill River bridge between Sharon Springs and Wallace.;

40-100 KA 3916-01: Replace the bridge over the Union Pacific Limon Subdivision between Weskan and Sharon Springs. Detour via K-27, I-70, and US 385, though local traffic will be diverted onto old US 40 into Sharon Springs.

40-100 KA 4067-01: Replace the bridge over the Union Pacific Sharon Springs Subdivision west of Wallace. Traffic to be carried on a shoe-fly detour

69-11 KA 6619-01/400-11 KA 6620-01: 1/2-inch milling and 1.5-inch Overlay on US 69A/US 400 from K-66 north to US 69-160 and continuing north on US 69-160-400 to K-171. (US 69A segment is non-FA)

15-87 KA 5793-01: Upgrade of the traffic signals at Southeast Boulevard and 31st Street in Wichita

Federal-Aid, Local Projects:

16 C 5074-01: Replace a wood bridge on a driveway off of old US 50 about 1 1/2 mile east of Old Beto Junction.

30 C 5114-01: Replace the Osborne Road bridge over Eight Mile Creek

87 N 0738-01: Repair the Zoo Boulevard bridge over the Big Ditch in Wichita

Non-FA:

106 KA 6913-01: Mudjacking work in KDOT District 1

23-32 KA 6904-01: Patching on K-23 between MM 136-139 in Gove County

70-98 KA 6859-01: Lighting upgrades at the I-70 Rest areas east of WaKenney

15-87 KA 6903-01: HMA Patching and a 2-inch overlay on the east Frontage Road of Southeast Boulevard from 47th Street to Clifton Avenue in Wichita.

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highways

KDOT Lettings, February 2023

There are only 11 projects up for bids on February 15. Approved Bids announced on February 27 are highlighted in red.

Federal-Aid:

9-66 KA 3885-01: Replace Bridge #016 over Spring Creek Drainage west of Wetmore. Detour via K-62, K-16, and US 75. Ebert Construction Co Inc & Subsidiary, Wamego, $1,158,262.25.

77-81 KA 3922-01: Replace bridge #039 over Mill Creek 1.57 miles north of the North Junction with US 24 (no plans posted) King Construction Company Inc. & Subsidiaries, Hesston, $2,239,342.05.

156-27 KA 3939-01: Replacement of the K-156 Bridge #026 over Oak Creek located 1.13 miles northeast of K-140. Detour via K-140 and K-111. King, $1,998,650.60.

11 U 2401-01: Sidewalk upgrade on Country Road from High School Avenue to Kansas Avenue and Maple Street from Tennessee Avenue to East Avenue in Columbus

50-24 KA 5779-01: Rehabilitation of a passing lane area on US 50-56 between Kinsley and Offerle
50-29 KA 3234-02: Rehabilitation of a passing lane area on US 50-56 near 119th Road in Ford County.
50-29 KA 5780-01: Rehabilitation of a passing lane area on US 50-56 east of Spearville.
Venture Corporation, Great Bend, $19,374,340.49.

Federal-Aid, Local Projects:

22 C 4999-01: Replace the 195th Road/Old US 36 bridge over Peters Creek east of Troy. Re-let from November 2022. B & B Bridge Company LLC, St. Paul, Kansas, $819,993.00.

56 C 5145-01: Replace the J Road bridge over Troublesome Creek north of Emporia.

Non-FA:

54-104 KA 6458-01: Upgrade a guard fence on a Culvert just west of Yates Center. Rubick Construction Inc., Williamsburg, $186,684.96.

56-73 KA 6454-01: Guardrail upgrades northeast of Garfield. J & J Contractors Inc., Iola, $393,457.27.

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highways

KDOT Lettings: January 2023

There are 23 projects up for bids on January 18. Awarded bids announced on January 26 are highlighted in red. Awarded bids announced on February 27 are highlighted in blue.

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highways

KDOT Lettings: March 2023

There are 17 projects up for bidding on March 22

Federal Aid (Unless noted):

10-46 KA 6651-02: Repair and overlay on the eastbound K-10 bridge over Kill Creek in Desoto. A new sign is part of the project – which maintains an existing redundancy “Kill Creek Creek.”

16-52 KA-5520-01: Reconstruction of the intersection of K-16 and Parallel Road (former K-90). Detour via US 59 and US 24.

470-89 KA 6733-01: Repair the I-470 bridges over 29th, Fairlawn, Gage, 37th, and Shunganunga Creek
75-89 KA 6739-01 Repair of the bridge carrying the ramp from westbound I-470 to eastbound I-70 [which is considered part of the US 75 main line] over SW 10th Street (non-FA)

50-106 KA 5787-01: Refurbishment of a Passing lane area between Walton and Peabody in Harvey and Marion Counties.

9-69 KA 3935-01: Replacement of the K-9 bridge (#052) over Scull Creek 3.97 miles east of the K-173 junction.
9-74 KA 3934-01: Replacement of the K-9 bridge (#033) over Crooked Creek, located 3.63 miles east of the Norton County Line.
9-74 KA 3962-01: Replacement of the K-9 Bridge (#034) over Wolf Creek, located 7.58 miles east of the Norton County Line.
The three bridge projects are tied together. K-9 is to be closed at the Scull Creek and Crooked Creek projects, with traffic detoured using US 283, US 36, and US 183. Traffic on the Wolf Creek project is to be carried through on a shoo-fly detour.

50-40 KA 5786-01: Construction of the westerly extension of the existing passing lane section of US-50 from 6.8 miles east of the I-135/US-50 junction east for 0.63 miles.

56-41 KA 5997-01: Reconstruction of La Lande Avenue from Pike Street to Inman Street in Sublette

Federal-Aid, Local Projects:

52 C-5144-01: Replace the Fairmount Road bridge over Little Stranger Creek.

89 C 5147-01: Replace the NW 66th Street over Indian Creek in Northern Shawnee County

37 C 5073-01: Replace the bridge on M Road over Tadpole Creek.

Non-FA:

70-84 KA 6858-01: Lighting upgrade on the I-70 rest area east of Russell

14-78 KA 1007-04/14-80 KA 1007-05: Milling, HMA Overlay, and bridge repair on the existing K-14/K-96 alignment between Hutchinson and Sterling in preparation for turnback when the new “Northwest Passage” alignment opens.

54-87 KA 6894-01: Repair of the 383rd Street bridge over US 54/400 in western Sedgwick County.

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highways

KDOT Lettings: December 2022

There are 29 projects up for bids on December 14, including three bridge replacements, the removal of an unused bridge, and a new roundabout near Dodge City. Approved bids announced on January 9 are highlighted in red.

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highways

KDOT Lettings: October 2022

There are 26 projects up for bids on October 19. Approved bids announced on November 9 are highlighted in red. Approved bids announced on November 30 are highlighted in blue. One approved bid announced on January 9 is highlighted in purple.

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highways

KDOT Lettings: November 2022

There are only 16 projects up for letting on November 17, but one of them is a big-ticket item: the next phase of improvements to the I-135/I-235/K-254/K-96 junction on the north side of Wichita. Approved bids announced on November 30 are highlighted in red.

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Categories
local politics Politics

One walk without the dog

As I have noted earlier, I am within walking distance of my polling place. In fact, I have occasionally walked my Minpin and my uncle’s Black Lab by the place. I don’t think it would be appropriate to bring a non-service dog to the polls, so at a quarter to seven, I made the trek alone.

As always, I am disclosing by ballot selections of my own free will. No consideration has been offered or considered for this disclosure.

US Senate: As previously noted, incumbent Jerry Moran‘s office was the most responsive regarding passenger rail.

US Representative, KS-01: Lawrence was gerrymandered from the 2nd District to the first, meaning that our candidates were changed. I went for incumbent Republican Tracey Mann. It will be interesting to see how left-leaning Lawrence will influence the otherwise heavily right-leaning district.

Governor: Four years ago, I voted for Laura Kelly because she was facing the infamous Kris Kobach. (more on him below) This time, I went back to the GOP candidate, Derek Schmidt. The political advertisements had focused on the economy: Kelly supporters accuse Schmidt of planning to re-implement economic measures of the Brownback Administration that they considered devastating, while Schmidt’s campaign accuses Kelly of wrecking the economy with her current economic action.

Secretary of State: Generally, Scott Schwab has kept his nose clean.

Attorney General: Incumbent Derek Schmidt gave up the AG position to run for governor. Running on the republican platform is Kris Kobach. If I didn’t already hate him, one of his antics at Secretary of State got him a serious “benchslap” from a US District Court judge. I’m surprised that the disciplinary office didn’t take any further action. I don’t think he should be qualified to be an attorney, let alone AG. I voted for Democrat Chris Mann.

State Treasurer: Four years ago, Jake LaTurner successfully ran for this position. Two years ago, he successfully ran for Congress in District 2. Governor Kelly appointed her then-Lieutenant Governor, Lynn Rogers, to the vacancy created by LaTurner’s move to Washington. Rogers is now seeking a full term in the Treasurer’s office. However, I went with the GOP candidate, Steven Johnson.

Insurance Commissioner: I voted to retain incumbent Republican Vicki Schmidt.

State Representative: Incumbent Dennis “Boog” Highberger ran unopposed. This seat has been a solid seat for the Democrats for as long as I have been a voter.

Judicial Retention: There was a campaign on the right to oust much of the Supreme Court. Six out of the seven Supreme Court seats were up for retention this election cycle. I voted to retain them all, along with the Court of Appeals and District Court positions.

Ballot Questions: There were two constitutional amendments and one Douglas County ballot question. The first amendment was one that would give the legislature an opportunity to veto any actions taken by an executive agency. This came about because Republican legislators did not agree with Governor Kelly’s actions in handling the early waves of COVID. The second was to mandate the elected office of Sheriff in the counties that currently have one (Riley County, which contains most of the city of Manhattan, is the only one county in Kansas that doesn’t) I voted against both of these questions. The Douglas County question was straightforward: “Shall the Governing Body of Douglas County, Kansas, increase its number of commissioner districts from three to five?” The only downside I see is if no one wants to run for the two newly created seats. I voted for the measure.

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highways

KDOT Lettings: September 2022

There are 43 projects up for letting in September. Approved bids awarded on October 6 are highlighted in red. Approved bids announced on November 9 are highlighted in blue.

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highways

KDOT Lettings: August 2022

Up for letting on August 17 are 38 projects, including a second batch of asphalt milling and overlay. Approved bids announced on August 26 are highlighted in red. Approved bids announced on October 6 are highlighted in blue.

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