Starting around Monday, March 2, the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) will begin a project to replace the concrete box bridge on the west side of Century Road and widen US-56 to four lanes from the end of the existing four lane roadway west to the entrance to the airport. Project construction is scheduled to be completed in September, depending on delays due to adverse weather conditions.  
Traffic will be carried through the work zone while the construction takes place using narrowed lanes. Vehicle widths will be restricted to 11 feet maximum inside the work zone. Concrete barriers will be placed on the north half of the roadway and two lane traffic will be placed on the south half. After the culvert construction and pavement widening is finished on the north half of the roadway traffic will be switched to that side to allow for construction of the south half. Temporary access will be maintained to houses and businesses during construction. When work makes it necessary to close entrances access will be provided by the construction of a temporary access road on the south side of US-56 from Century Road to the airport entrance. The north side of the Century Road intersection will be closed during the work on the north half of the roadway and the south side of the Century Road intersection will be closed during the construction of the south half of the highway.  
Venture Corporation from Great Bend is the prime contractor for this $1,896,691.05 project, which is funded by T-WORKS, the transportation program passed by the Kansas Legislature in May 2010. For more information about T-WORKS projects and funding visit the website, www.ksdot.org/tworks. Highway construction project locations and road condition information can be viewed at the http://511.ksdot.org website, or can also be accessed by telephone by dialing 511.
KDOT urges all motorists to be alert, obey the warning signs, and “Give ‘Em a Brake!” when approaching and driving through a highway work zone. Persons with questions about this road work or other KDOT projects can call South Central Kansas Public Affairs Manager, Martin Miller, at 620-663-3361 or 1-877-550-5368 (Toll free).