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New Safety Features Planned for K-96/State Fair Freeway

June 16, 1999 (Release 99-114)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
News Contact: Marty Matthews, (785) 296-3585

New Safety Features Planned for K-96/State Fair Freeway

The K-96/State Fair Freeway will soon have additional safety features at the intersections at Haven and Mt. Hope. According to the Kansas Department of Transportation, these new features are the result of recommendations from ongoing traffic studies and from public meetings.

The State Fair Freeway, completed in October 1998, was designed and built according to nationally accepted safety standards. "The highway is well designed for its purpose: to move traffic safely and efficiently. But there are some things we can do to make it an even safer highway, and that's what these features will do," said Secretary of Transportation E. Dean Carlson.

Some safety features will be implemented within the next three months. They include the installation of 48-inch stop signs on the side roads at the east Haven, west Haven and Mt. Hope intersections and over-sized road signs identifying major intersections. Also, a section of asphalt pavement near Mt. Hope will receive an overlay to improve roadway surface water drainage.

Additionally, overhead lighting at the Mt. Hope and west Haven intersections has been approved and will be installed as soon as a contractor is selected through KDOT's open bidding process. This overhead lighting is made possible by a partnership effort between KDOT and the cities of Mt. Hope and Haven. KDOT pays for the cost of installation and the cities pay the operating costs such as electricity and maintenance.

KDOT is also committed to continue studying the State Fair Freeway to determine if future safety improvements are warranted. A consulting engineering company has been hired to provide a detailed analysis of this highway.