HUTCHINSON, Kan. – With the new alignment of K-14/96 between Willowbrook and Nickerson set to open Thursday, Reno County Commissioners this week approved a turnback agreement with the Kansas Department of Transportation for the current highway alignment that will be returned to local entities.
For Reno County, this also involves new segments of Dean Road and West 95th, a new box bridge, and various drainage structures on several roads to the east and north of Nickerson. Similar turnback agreements have been submitted to Rice County and the cities of Nickerson and Sterling.
The Reno County agreement also includes a one-time payment of $400 thousand, which will be made within 30 days of the actual transfer date and will be used to purchase additional equipment. KDOT will also do an overlay and other repairs to the segments being turned back.
Road Work
Public Works Director Don Brittain presented his annual report to County Commissioners Tuesday. Among the projects his department is undertaking this year is the asphalt overlay of 30 miles of county roadways, the largest being on 95th Avenue from Peace Road to Salt Marsh Road, which is the Stafford County line.
Other major overlay projects include Sterling Road from 4th to 95th and Hodge Road from 4th north to what will soon be the old K-14/96. Brittain said within the next two years they expect to have completed hot mix overlays on all 500-plus miles of county-maintained roads.
County bridge crews are scheduled to build three bridges this year along Maple Grove, Olcott, and Riverton Roads, with two bridge projects contracted out including the bridge into Willowbrook, on 69th Avenue over Cow Creek, and the county’s part of the Woodie Seat Freeway project.
