Following is a news release from the Kansas Department of Transportation regarding K-18 work beginning next week:
Weather permitting, on Monday, February 27, numerous traffic changes will take place as construction work resumes on the K-18 improvement project in Riley County. Both the eastbound and westbound lanes of K-18 will be affected during project construction.
Beginning on Monday, February 27, at approximately 8:00 a.m., the following traffic changes will occur for Fort Riley Boulevard/K-18 drivers. These traffic changes (except for Walnut Street and Davis Drive closures) will be in place through late May 2012, weather permitting. Please click on this link: http://www.ksdot.org/topekaMetro/projectstudyNEKS.asp (or attached Adobe PDF document) to view a detailed aerial map of the K-18 improvement project showing these specific traffic impacts.
Eastbound K-18 Traffic: Traffic will be reduced to one lane (right lane) prior to the city of Ogden. Once reduced to one lane, eastbound traffic will proceed straight and enter onto the newly completed K-18 roadway. To access the south side of Walnut Street, 68th Avenue, Wildcat Creek, or the city of Ogden, traffic will follow the roadway signage to Riley Avenue and utilize the new intersection ramp to enter onto Riley Avenue. Once on Riley Avenue, traffic should turn right to access the River Trail Townhomes or turn left and follow the roadway to access Wildcat Creek Road, 68th Street, or the city of Ogden. To access the city of Manhattan, drivers should proceed straight at the ramp to continue on towards Manhattan.
Westbound K-18 Traffic: To access 12th Street or I-70 from westbound K-18, traffic will need to be in the left lane of K-18. Just west of the Manhattan Regional Airport, traffic will crossover onto the old K-18 eastbound lanes where traffic will be then in a head to head placement with eastbound traffic in the adjoining lane. To continue on to I-70 or 12th Street, traffic will have to utilize the left hand exit and will enter onto the newly completed K-18 roadway. To access Wildcat Creek Road, 68th Avenue, the south side of Walnut Street, or the city of Ogden, traffic should not take the exit but proceed straight. The south side of Walnut Street will be accessed via the new Skyway Drive shoofly which is located directly across from 68th Avenue. Once on the Skyway Drive shoofly; traffic should follow the roadway to the new Cimarron Trail Road which will allow access to the River Trail Townhomes and Kansas River boat ramp.
Eastbound Traffic Exiting Ogden: For traffic exiting to the city of Ogden, drivers will continue east on K-114. To access the city of Manhattan, traffic will have two separate options. First option: the left lane of Fort Riley Boulevard will be a continuous lane that will end at Wildcat Creek Road, where drivers can take Wildcat Creek road to Eureka Drive to then access Scenic Drive. Second option: drivers in the right lane of K-114 must turn right onto the new Skyway Drive shoofly, directly across from 68th Avenue. Traffic should follow the roadway signage to either enter onto westbound K-18 towards I-70 or eastbound K-18 towards the city of Manhattan.
Walnut Street Traffic: Walnut Street access to K-18 will be closed as crews construct a new bridge over K-18. When completed in mid-summer 2012, the new bridge will carry Walnut Street traffic over K-18. Walnut Street traffic will use the new Skyway Drive shoofly, directly across from 68th Avenue, to Cimarron Trail to the new K-18/K-114 interchange.
Davis Drive Traffic: Davis Drive access to K-18 will be closed and will remain closed until late 2013. Residents south of K-18 will need to use Allison Road and Stagg Hill Road to the K-113/Seth Child Road Interchange or Rosencutter Road to K-18 for access to eastbound and westbound K-18.
Traffic will be directed through the project work zone via advance message boards and signage. The speed limit will be restricted to 55 mph throughout the project work zone. There will be a 12-foot lane width restriction throughout the project duration. Drivers should expect delays and are encouraged to use alternate routes, if possible. To view updated K-18 project information including construction phasing, traffic impacts and overall project schedule, visit the following link: http://www.ksdot.org/bureaus/TopekaMetro/projectstudyNEKS.asp.
This work is part of the overall improvement project that will reconstruct a seven-mile stretch of K-18 from Manhattan to Ogden to a freeway when completed. There are three construction phases included in the overall K-18 improvement project.
SEMA Construction (Centennial, CO) is the primary contractor on phase one of the K-18 improvement project with a construction cost of $65 million. Phase one of this project is funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. The scheduled completion date for phase one project work is fall 2012.
KOSS Construction Company (Topeka, KS) is the primary contractor on phases two and three of the K-18 improvement project with a construction cost of $55.4 million. These two phases of the K-18 improvement project are funded by T-WORKS, the transportation program passed by the Kansas Legislature last May 2010. The scheduled completion date for phase two and three project work is late 2013.
The Kansas Department of Transportation urges all motorists to be alert, obey the warning signs, and “Give ‘Em a Brake!” when approaching and driving through project work zones. For more information on the K-18 improvement project, please contact Kimberly Qualls, Northeast Kansas Public Affairs Manager, at (785) 640-9340, or Jerry Haug, Wamego Construction Engineer, at (785) 456-2353.
