(K-18 freeway) "Ogden" advertised

[J N Winkler]

http://www.ksdot.org/burconsmain/contracts/proposal.asp

(until March 24).

Two contracts are actually involved:  18-81 KA 0410-03, which is "Ogden" proper, and 18-81 KA 0410-06, which is for the relocation of a length of the Union Pacific Railroad through the K-18/K-114 interchange complex.  The construction plans have not yet been uploaded, however.  (In the past KDOT has been very good about having the plans for the next letting ready to download by close of business on letting day, but lately the majority of the plans haven't been uploaded till close of business the following Friday, with some stragglers uploaded later.)  "Ogden" proper has a sheet count of 1707, while the railroad relocation has 103 sheets.

Google Maps extract showing interchange in its current configuration

As you can see, it is a trumpet interchange (with certain movements missing) where K-18 exits the roadway which becomes K-114 and is the main access to Fort Riley from the east.  It is to be replaced with a parclo with K-18 as the through route on a much easier curve.  Therefore the interchange will be moved to the southeast.  The railroad will be moved to the south and put on a much gentler curve so that K-18 can fly over it on a long skew viaduct.  Local accesses will be rearranged, with the existing K-18 alignment just east of the present interchange being downgraded to a service drive.

Besides "Ogden," the K-18 freeway project has two other major contracts.  In order from southwest to northeast, these are "Scenic" (18-81 KA 0410-04) and "Miller-Davis" (18-81 KA 0410-05).  KDOT had initially planned to let "Scenic" and "Miller-Davis" as well as "Ogden" in the upcoming letting, but presumably lack of cashflow has forced a delay.  "Ogden" is going forward with ARRA funds.

[route56]

From the KTOC forum comes this blog by the manager of KTOC, AKA @KDOTHQ on twitter

http://ktoc.net/blog_post_view.aspx?blogpostid=2fe48e14c37849e0b15abfdef037a4ac

This week: KDOT let Phase One of the K-18 project
By pquinn in Community Manager's blog on Thursday, March 25, 2010 3:10 PM 

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The apparent low bid is expected to be confirmed next week. The K-18 project is KDOT's last state ARRA project. A brief description of the project on the KDOT website notes that it "involves construction of a four-lane K-18 freeway and relocation of the Union Pacific Railroad between Ogden and Wildcat Creek Road." I've not yet seen the numbers, but the apparent low bid is said to be just less than $65 million--much better than the initial $84 million estimate.

Probably the biggest area story in transportation was yesterday's announcement that Pete Rahn, director of the Missouri Department of Transportation, is leaving the agency to join HNTB, the engineering consulting firm. A brief story in the Kansas City Star is here. Rahn is credited with major improvements to Missouri's transportation infrastructure during his tenure; he will be missed.

It's been quiet on K-TOC this week, but we welcomed a new blogger. Abbey Lutterick, KDOT's Chief of the Bureau of Public Involvement, a recent transplant from Pennsylvania, offers the community her perspective on the differences between Kansas drivers and East Coast drivers. It's a fun read.

[Stephane Dumas]

I wondered by curiosity why K-18 will be full freeway while K-61 from Hutchison to McPherson will be an expressway? (and more intrigued then the current northern end of K-61 is a diamond interchange with I-135/US-81 instead of a trumpet,  http://mapper.acme.com/?ll=38.371944,-97.662222&z=15&t=M&marker0=38.371944,-97.662222,McPherson, Kansas does KS DOT plan an eastern extension?)

[J N Winkler]

K-61 has lower traffic volumes:  its AADT ranges from 7530 near Hutchinson to 5200 in McPherson County, while the AADT for K-18 ranges from 12700 on the two-lane segment between I-70 and Ogden to over 20000 on the segment between K-114 and Manhattan which has been an expressway for well over 20 years (I think it was built probably in the mid-1970's).  KDOT actually compiled an EIS for a four-laning improvement on K-18 between I-70 and Manhattan back in the early 1970's--I can't remember if a freeway was the preferred option then, but it is what is being built now.

K-61 is not being built as a freeway right now, but it does have some grade-separated interchanges and the design as a whole is intended to be compatible with a future upgrade to full freeway standard, as is also the case for the US 50 upgrade to four-lane divided just west of Garden City.

The really interesting case is US 54 west of the western end of the rural freeway in Pretty Prairie, about 30 miles west of Wichita.  KDOT is upgrading US 54 to four-lane divided, and I think it will be a full freeway all the way through Kingman County despite having a projected 2028 AADT of only 8800.  The Kingman Bypass is currently in design (it was put forward unsuccessfully for TIGER funding) and will be a full freeway, routed north of Kingman.  The Cunningham Bypass was advertised in this month's letting (plans uploaded yesterday!--quite good quality PDF plots, too) and is also full freeway, with one exit for Cunningham.

I think this high standard of design is driven partly by high truck volumes and partly by local concern about the mediocre safety record of US 54.  I am not sure freeway standard will be maintained through Pratt County, however.