PITTSBURG, Kan. — Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) officials met with area residents and community leaders Thursday at Memorial Auditorium in preparation for the next round of public input sessions scheduled for the end of July concerning the U.S. 69 corridor. The goal of the meeting was to get feedback on how KDOT can best present their findings from the last public input session in a way that is easily understandable.
According to their findings, nearly 50 percent of all responses during the last session concerned improvements to traffic flow along the bypass around Pittsburg, specifically from Atkinson to Centennial. The data suggested that residents were satisfied with how the rest of the highway, north of Atkinson to the Bourbon County line and south of Centennial to Cherokee County, was designed and performed.
According to KDOT, what might be happening is the middle section may be having somewhat of an identity crisis as it is performing two different functions, acting as both a highway and a city street and not either particularly well.
A complaint voiced by some of those present is the fact that is it only two lanes with multiple intersections controlled by quick light changes. For example, getting behind a semi at Quincy Street during a red light, you may not make the next green as the truck uses the entire light to get up to speed and clear the intersection.
The singular goal KDOT had in mind in 2000 was to transform U.S. 69 into a freeway, based on public opinion at the time. That goal produced the western alignment that sparked so much debate last year. Now KDOT is rethinking their plan and may redevelop the existing roadway based on what is expected of each segment.
For KDOT, terms like ‘expressway’, ‘freeway’, and ‘highway’ have very definite meanings. For example, a freeway has limited access points every five to seven miles — such as U.S. 69 between Fort Scott and Overland Park; an expressway has more access points closer together, but still limited in number, such as the stretch between the fort and 6th Street in Fort Scott; a highway has multiple access points in close proximity, such as the portion from 6th Street to Fort Scott’s southern city limits near the hospital. The road between Fort Scott and Arma is considered to be an “upgradable highway.”
The corridor is still considered to be a “freight corridor” across the state, meaning any improvements must balance that need with local needs.
In addition to gaining feedback on word choice and formatting, KDOT is looking to confirm what they think the local response was during the last input session and are looking to learn what the most important local issues are concerning any improvements: the corridor’s purpose, improved mobility, enhanced safety, local access, and economic development.
The next round of public input is critical as these findings, and any recommendations, will be taken to KDOT’s executive board for consideration next month.
This month’s public input sessions will be on Tuesday, July 23, at Pittsburg Memorial Auditorium between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. and at Pittsburg High School from 4 to 6 p.m.
A second day of sessions will be at Pallucca’s Event Hall in Frontenac from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and at Northeast High School in Arma from 4 to 6 p.m.
KDOT is also hosting a virtual open house on Tuesday, July 30, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at tinyurl.com/29th3fae.
