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


  • 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…

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • KDOT Lettings: July 2022

    At my workplace, a paving crew was resurfacing the service road that leads to the lot where I park. Kansas Highways also need that treatment, as evidenced by the projects in the July lettings. Approved Bids announced on August 4 are highlighted in red.Approved Bids announced on August 26 are highlighted in blue.

  • KDOT Lettings: June 2022

    There are 21 projects up for letting on June 15. The Awarded bids announced on July 6 are highlighted in red. The Awarded bids announced on August 4 are highlighted in blue.

  • Walk to the Poll Position

    Today is the primary elections in Kansas. Since the 2020 election, I have moved (twice) from Lake Dabinawa and have wound up in East Lawrence. My new polling place is about a five-minute walk from the house. I got there around 6:45 and was first in line, and first to submit a ballot, when the…

  • July 2022

    July 2022 in Pictures

    I had one train-watching jaunt this month, plus a few Amtrak and BNSF grabs from the Santa Fe Station platform.

  • KDOT Lettings: May 2022

    There are 20 projects slated for letting on May 18. Approved bids announced on May 31 are highlighted in red. Approved bids announced on July 6 are highlighted in blue.

  • It’s my party, I’ll shoot as many trains as I want to

    It’s my party, I’ll shoot as many trains as I want to

    For my birthday weekend, between the dinner and the birthday cake, I took some time to do some train watching.

  • 67472

    Saw a train… just not the one I expected

    This morning, I checked the Amtrak status map and noticed that the Southwest Chief was running quite late and would be in Topeka around 8:40. Based on that, I decided to try and catch the train before I went in to work (I currently work in Topeka) I made it to a good spot along…