Richie Kennedy | route56.com

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 the designation of US 56 in 1956 until KDOT elected to adopt the standard black-and-white design in 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/X, and Flickr.

Latest Blog Posts

  • KDOT Lettings: November 2022

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    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.

  • One walk without the dog

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    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

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    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

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    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

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    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

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    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

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    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

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    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

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    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

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