News Releases
Keep up on the latest KTA news by reading our press releases below.
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KTA leader named Engineer of the Year
Mar 4, 2019
TOPEKA, Kan.— Kansas Turnpike Authority’s Director of Engineering, David Jacobson, was named Engineer of the Year by the Topeka Chapter of the Kansas Society of Professional Engineers (KSPE) on February 28. This prestigious award recognizes a registered engineer’s outstanding contributions to their profession and community.
KTA’s Open Road Tolling conversion project at the East Topeka (I-70/KTA) toll plaza was also recognized as the Outstanding Engineering Achievement by KSPE Topeka Chapter.
“I cannot think of anyone more deserving of this award than David,” said Steve Hewitt, KTA’s Chief Executive Officer. “He stands at the helm of our decade-long modernization and preservation efforts, most notably our work to convert mainline plazas to open road tolling. His work and dedication are enormous assets to KTA and in transforming tolling in Kansas.”
At KTA, Jacobson leads a team of staff assistants, field personnel and other professional engineers. Within Kansas, Jacobson has held and continues to hold multiple leadership roles, including Board Secretary of the Engineering Foundation of Kansas. In the past eight years, he has presented at more than 15 times at the state, regional, national and international level.
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Multiple projects to begin or resume March 11
Mar 4, 2019
WICHITA, Kan.— Construction season is set to begin on the Kansas Turnpike, with multiple projects starting or resuming Monday, March 11, weather permitting. These projects, including linked additional details, and their traffic impacts include:
- Bridge Re-Decking (South of Topeka): A two-year project to re-deck and increase the vertical clearance on two bridges crossing over I-335/KTA will resume. The SW 93rd Street bridge, crossing MM 168.297, will close to all traffic on Monday, March 11, and will reopen in late November, weather permitting. The SW 85th Street bridge was completed in 2018.
- Bridge Raising/Elevation (Sumner, Butler and Chase County): Construction to increase the vertical clearance on 10 bridges will begin at MM 21.146 I-35/KTA. Expect single lane traffic in both directions with 12-foot width restrictions.
- Bridge Construction (South Wichita): Rehabilitation of four mainline bridges will take place at MM 40.02 and 40.05 I-35/KTA. Traffic will experience median crossovers with single lane traffic using the southbound bridge, 12-foot width restrictions and 65 mph speed reduction from MM 39-41.
- Flint Hills Bridge Construction (Butler & Chase County): Work to deck mill and overlay a bridge will take place at MM 94 I-35/KTA. Travelers can expect single lane traffic from MM 93-95. Work to re-deck and widen a bridge at MM 99.96 I-35/KTA will result in single lane traffic from MM 98-102. Both areas will have 12-foot width restrictions and 65 mph speed reduction.
- Bridge Construction (Emporia): Work will resume on a two-year project on 10 I-335/KTA southbound bridges northwest of Emporia from MM 129-130. Traffic will use the northbound bridges with single lane traffic, 12-foot width restrictions and 65 mph speed reduction from MM 128-131.
Travelers can learn about all Turnpike projects planned for 2019. Additional information about each project can be found on KTA’s construction page, that also includes a monthly construction update by KTA’s Director of Engineering.
Drivers are urged to check for traffic impacts at www.KanDrive.org, subscribe to KTA Alerts for roadway incident information http://bit.ly/KHeX6g, follow the Kansas Turnpike on Twitter, and watch for information on KTA’s digital message signs. Construction updates on this and other projects are published monthly in KTA’s electronic newsletter. Sign up to receive the newsletter using the form located at the bottom of any page on www.ksturnpike.com.
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Contracts awarded on two upcoming construction projects
Feb 6, 2019
WICHITA, Kan. – The Kansas Turnpike Authority announces bids have been approved and contracts awarded on two upcoming Turnpike construction projects.
Contract #7325 – Rehabilitate and increase the vertical clearance of the Shaw Creek Road Bridge crossing over I-35/KTA at mile marker 102.26 (approximately five miles north of the Matfield Green Service Area in Chase County) was awarded to Bettis Asphalt & Construction, Inc., Topeka, KS for $735,607.28. Construction will begin in March and is scheduled for completion November 15, 2019.
Contract #7377 – Burns & McDonnell, Kansas City, MO was awarded a contract for $8,267,419 to provide Engineer-Procure-Construct (EPC) service to increase the vertical clearance of 10 bridges crossing over the Turnpike/I-35 between mile markers 20-22 (Sumner County) and 59-99 (Butler and Chase Counties.) Work will begin this year and be completed by the end of 2020.
Construction details will be available closer to the start date on http://www.ksturnpike.com with impacts to traffic posted on http://www.kandrive.org/. Construction updates on this and other projects are published monthly in KTA’s electronic newsletter. Sign up to receive the newsletter using the form located at the bottom of any page on www.ksturnpike.com.
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KTA HR Manager recognized in community
Feb 6, 2019
WICHITA, Kan.— Kansas Turnpike Authority Human Resources Manager, Diana Ensign, was selected to be part of the Advance Kansas, Class XI, which is a diversity initiative coordinated through Butler Community College. She is also a 2019 Human Resources Professional honoree by the Wichita Business Journal.
“Our organization has truly benefited from Diana’s hard work and dedication in the HR field,” said Steve Hewitt, KTA CEO. “Thanks to her leadership, we have been able make significant improvements that benefit KTA and our employees.”
In Ensign’s 30-year tenure at the KTA, she has been instrumental in establishing the company’s HR department and is currently leading many modernization efforts.
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Contracts awarded on two upcoming construction projects
Dec 28, 2018
WICHITA, Kan. – The Kansas Turnpike Authority announces bids have been approved and contracts awarded on two upcoming Turnpike construction projects.
Contract #7170 – Rehabilitation of four mainline bridges located two miles south of the South Wichita (I-35/I-135) Interchange in Sedgwick County at mile markers 40.02 and 40.45 I-35/KTA was awarded to Wildcat Construction Co., Inc. & Subsidiaries, Wichita, KS for $2,983,598.75. Construction can begin on March 11 and shall be completed by October 25, 2019.
Contract #7194 – Deck mill and overlay on bridges in Butler County at mile marker 94 and redeck and widen bridges in Chase County at mile marker 99.96 all on I-35/KTA was awarded to A.M. Cohron & Sons, Inc., Atlantic, Iowa for $4,817,485.94. Construction can begin on January 7 and shall be completed by December 13, 2019.
Construction details will be available closer to the start date on http://www.ksturnpike.com with impacts to traffic posted on http://www.kandrive.org/. Construction updates on this and other projects are published monthly in KTA’s electronic newsletter. Sign up to receive the newsletter using the form located at the bottom of any page on www.ksturnpike.com.
