News Releases
Keep up on the latest KTA news by reading our press releases below.
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KTA receives Innovation Award by Wichita Business Journal
Nov 15, 2019
WICHITA, Kan.— Kansas Turnpike Authority was selected as a 2019 Innovation Award honoree through the Wichita Business Journal. The award recognizes KTA’s innovative approach with introducing highway speed electronic lanes at its three mainline toll plazas along with related internal modernization efforts.
Improvements at Eastern Terminal, East Topeka and Southern Terminal modernized tolling in Kansas by allowing electronic customers to use the toll plaza while maintaining highway speeds. Several back-office changes were also made, including the addition of an image review team, technology upgrades and procedural changes.
“Customers’ expectations are evolving as they travel around the country,” said Steve Hewitt, KTA CEO. “With these changes, KTA is truly paving the way for the future of tolling in Kansas.”
KTA was one of 22 companies and six individuals recognized by the Wichita Business Journal on November 14.
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KTA celebrates employee service anniversaries
Nov 13, 2019
WICHITA, Kan.— Each year, the Kansas Turnpike Authority recognizes employees and Kansas Highway Patrol troopers assigned to the Turnpike, who are celebrating years-of-service anniversaries. For 2019, KTA recognized 88 individuals that collectively have 1,405 years of service to the KTA.
Employees reaching service anniversaries include:40 Years:
• Dana Gonzalez (Berryton), Procurement Coordinator35 Years:
• Joseph Bott (Wichita), Captain of KHP Troop G
• Jerald Kloxin (Wichita), Senior Roadside Maintenance Worker
• Marlin May (Topeka), Structures Superintendent
• Dale Sparr (Rose Hill), Highway Shop Superintendent
• Daniel White (Berryton), Senior Roadside Maintenance Worker
• Randy Winkle (El Dorado), Senior Roadside Maintenance Worker30 Years:
• Craig Herman (Topeka), Roadside Maintenance Foreman
• John Hogoboom (El Dorado), Roadside Maintenance Superintendent
• Karl Koenig (Topeka), Trooper
• Tonja Lemons (El Dorado), Assistant Toll Supervisor
• Patricia Taylor (Wellington), Toll Collector
• Jeffrey Whalen (Derby), Assistant Toll Supervisor
• Janet Willis (Piper), Toll Collector25 Years:
• Verna Ast (Wellington), Toll Collector
• Troy Dunnaway (Eudora), Structures Foreman
• Peter Huntington (Topeka), Trooper
• David Jacobson (Topeka), Director of Engineering
• Scott Lawrence (El Dorado), Roadside Maintenance Foreman
• Jerald Linot (El Dorado), Highway Maintenance Foreman
• Patricia Mitchell (Emporia), Toll Collector
• Tracie Moore (Scranton), Customer Service Representative
• Darlene Morgan (Rose Hill), HR Assistant
• Patrick O’Bryon (Lawrence), Toll Maintenance Manager
• Geneva Scott (Milton), Toll Collector20 Years:
• Matthew Bowers (Topeka), Toll Collector
• Leeroy Brittain (Matfield Green), Highway Maintenance Lead
• Diane Collins (Wichita), Image Reviewer
• David Droge (Topeka), Structures Worker
• Robert Dunn (Wichita), Toll Collector
• Darren Griffin (Bonner Springs), Trooper
• Michael Gruber (Bonner Springs), Trooper
• Joseph Housholder (Topeka), Roadside Maintenance Worker
• John Lehnherr (Wichita), Trooper
• Jeanette Mitchell (Tecumseh), Toll Collector
• Shawn Phillips (Lawrence), Trooper
• Thomas Piland (Topeka), Toll Collector
• James Scarbrough (Overbrook), Equipment Operator15 Years:
• John Bailly (Wichita), Toll Supervisor
• Matthew Brooks (Lawrence), Trooper
• Luke Coltrane (Overbrook), Engineering Program Manager
• Tina Heider (Derby), Customer Service Representative
• Jeffrey Lockhart (Wichita), Trooper
• Randy Rhoades (Hoyt), Senior Equipment Operator
• Stephen Schneider (Topeka), Trooper
• Russell Siegrist (Valley Falls), Roadway Striping Foreman
• Shawn Taylor (Topeka), Trooper
• Scott Thompson (McLouth), Highway Maintenance Lead
• Jack Walker (Wellington), Highway Maintenance Lead
• Ryan Walton (Bonner Springs), Trooper10 Years:
• Andrew Booth (Lawrence), Toll Supervisor
• Joel Crider (Bonner Springs), Toll Collector
• Chad Holt (Augusta), Structures Foreman
• Teresa Humbert (Lawrence), Customer Service Representative
• Joshua Lauber (Park City), Toll Collector
• Corey Markley (Topeka), Auto/Truck/Equipment Technician
• Gregory Willis (Wellington), Senior Equipment Operator
• Clyde Wilson (Emporia), Highway Maintenance Foreman5 Years:
• Donnita Akard (Topeka), Toll Collector
• James Brockman (Emporia), Toll Collector
• Beth Bush (Burns), Toll Collector
• Gerald Cottingham (Lawrence), Toll Collector
• Mary Draxler (Wichita), Toll Collector
• Matthew Douglas (Eudora), Motorist Assist Technician
• Brett Eitzen (Wichita), Digital Media Specialist
• Rex Gardner (Lawrence), Toll Collector
• Tracy Gilbreath (Emporia), Toll Collector
• Alexander Gottschalk (Lawrence), Network Infrastructure Technician
• Neely Gower (Topeka), Toll Collector
• Alexandria Haber (Lawrence), Toll Collector
• Tuesday Harman (Eastborough), Toll Collector
• Byron Harvey (Towanda), Highway Maintenance Lead
• Kimberly Hauser (Topeka), Toll Collector
• Steve Hewitt (Wichita), Chief Executive Officer
• Joyce Lockwood (Wichita), Toll Collector
• Eric Lynn (Wichita), Toll Collector
• Michelle McLallen (Augusta), Toll Collector
• Amanda Miller (Wichita), Communications Specialist
• Aaron Mueller (Topeka), Toll Collector
• Laurence Poff (Lawrence), Toll Collector
• Meghan Rhodes (El Dorado), Image Reviewer
• Ashley Rodriguez (Emporia), Toll Collector
• Marinda Sang-Douglas (Geuda Springs), Toll Collector
• Vance Schwyhart (Lawrence), Toll Collector
• Dena Smoot (Atlanta), Administrative Assistant
• Jesse Tucker (Auburn), Structures Worker
• Richard Uhrmacher (Augusta), Equipment Operator
• Dawna Whaley (Mayfield), Toll Collector -
Survey reveals majority of travelers satisfied with toll value
Nov 8, 2019
WICHITA, Kan.— In a recent customer satisfaction survey conducted by the Kansas Turnpike Authority, 78 percent of customers said they were very or completely satisfied with the value they receive for the tolls paid.
“We’re proud to be affordable for our customers,” said Steve Hewitt, KTA CEO. “We have one of the lowest toll rates per mile in the country and are cash-flowing many large projects outlined in our Long Term Needs Study to maintain, preserve and modernize our roadway.”
The 2019 Customer Satisfaction Survey results also revealed a large majority of travelers like a more open electronic system, including the removal of K-TAG gates and the addition of highway speed electronic lanes at Eastern Terminal, East Topeka and Southern Terminal.
KTA reminds customers the best value they can receive for their tolls is by signing up for K-TAG, the electronic toll program where customers will receive a discount on the cash rate. Anyone can sign up at www.myktag.com.
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Contracts awarded on two spring construction projects
Nov 6, 2019
WICHITA, Kan.— The Kansas Turnpike Authority announces bids have been approved and contracts awarded on two upcoming Turnpike construction projects. Work on both projects will begin in March 2020 and are scheduled for completion in November, weather permitting.
Contract #7528 – Pavement surfacing on I-335/KTA and I-470/KTA from MM 167.7 to MM 183.3, was awarded to Bettis Asphalt & Construction, Inc., Topeka, KS, for the bid amount of $8,560,384.70.
Contract #7632 – Reinforced concrete box drainage improvements on I-35/KTA at MM 19.8, including ramp improvements at the Wellington Interchange (MM 19), was awarded to Klaver Construction Co., Inc., Wichita, Kansas, for the bid amount of $3,542,697.03.
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.
