Welcome to route56.com

Welcome to my anchor point on the web. For over 20 years, I have shared various subjects regarding highway, railways, local radio, and more.

I chose the name “route56” in honor of the green and white variant of the US Highway shield that the Kansas Department of Transportation and its predecessor agency used specifically to mark US 56 from its creation until the mid 1980s.

Click on the links above to access the pages devoted to the history of local radio and Kansas Highways, along with other creative outlets.

You can also find me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Flickr.


Latest Blog Posts


  • KDOT Lettings – December 2023

    Federal-Aid 7-3 KA 7132-01/7-22 KA-7119-01: 1.5-inch milling and 1.5-inch HMA overlay from Atchison to the Nebraska state line 73-52 KA 5990-01: Storm Sewer replacement and reconstruction of 4th Street from Choctaw Street to Seneca Street in Leavenworth 35-56 KA 5714-01: Replace a culvert over Lincoln Street in Emporia with bridges 70-89 KA 7198-01: 1.5-inch milling…

  • KDOT Lettings: November 2023

    Federal-Aid: 9-3 KA 7006-01: 1.5-inch milling and 1.5-inch HMA overlay from US 159 to US 73 9-3 KA 7057-01/9-43 KA-7118-01: 1.5-inch surface recycle of the mainline lanes and chip seal of the entire roadway from US 75 to US 159. 4-44 KA 5931-01: Regrade side slope and remove guardrail on a short section of K-4…

  • KDOT Lettings: October 2023

    Awarded Bids announced on November 6 are highlighted in red Federal-Aid 23 TE 0500-01: Sidewalk improvements in Lecompton 18-99 KA 7088-01/18-81 KA 7043-01: 1-inch milling and 1.5-inch HMA overlay on K-18 from K-177 to K-99 in Riley and Wabunsee Counties (Riley County segment is Non-FA) Shilling Construction Co. Inc., Manhattan, $3,301,695.00. 105 U 2436-01: Replace…

  • KDOT Lettings: September 2023

    Awarded bids announced on September 29 are highlighted in red. Awarded bids announced on November 6 are highlighted in blue. Federal-Aid 23 TE 0496-01: Pedestrian & bicycle paths along 11th Street from High Street to Ames Street, High Street from 2nd Street to 4th Street, and 2nd Street from Fremont Street to US 56 all…

  • KDOT Lettings: August 2023

    Approved bids announced on September 6 are highlighted in red.Approved bids announced on September 29 are highlighted in blue. Federal-Aid: 16-44 KA 7042-01: 1-inch milling and 2-inch HMA overlay on K-16/K-92 from US 59 south of Oskaloosa to the east junction of K-16 and K-92 in McLouth. Bettis Asphalt & Construction Inc., Topeka, $1,876,751.08. 35-56…

  • KDOT Lettings, July 2023

    There are 23 projects up for bids on July 19. Awarded bids announced on August 3 are highlighted in red. Awarded bids announced on September 6 are highlighted in blue Federal-Aid: 46 N 0703-01: Sidewalk improvements on Center Street between Shawnee and McKinley Streets in Gardner. Primetime Contracting Corp., Riverside, Missouri, $199,634.00. 470-89 KA 5766-01:…

  • KDOT Lettings: June 2023

    There are only 12 projects up for letting in June. The biggest one happens to be the lead-off project. Approved bids announced on June 29 are highlighted in red. Federal-Aid 24-44 KA 3542-01/24-89 KA 3236-01: Full-depth reconstruction of US 24 from Topeka Boulevard to Grantville in Shawnee and Jefferson Counties. Koss Construction, Topeka, $64,410,372.73. 70-91…

  • KDOT Lettings: May 2023

    There are 22 projects up for letting on May 24, and we lead off with a South Lawrence Trafficway related project. Awarded bids announced on June 7 are highlighted in red. Awarded bids announced on June 29 are highlighted in blue. Federal-Aid: 40-23 KA 2841-02: Reconstruct the existing SLT/6th Street (US 40) interchange as a…

  • KDOT Lettings: April 2023

    There are 17 projects up for bidding on April 19. Awarded bids announced on May 5 are highlighted in red. Awarded bids announced on June 7 are highlighted in blue. 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…

  • Four in a row

    The BNSF Emporia Subdivision can be a busy place, but this afternoon At Ridgeton, I managed to catch four trains with only a few minutes between them.