To the editor:

What does KDOT do during the winter? The short answer, by observation, is next to nothing. Not only were roads unplowed, dangerous, and un-drivable on the morning of Friday Jan. 5th, but again on Friday Feb. 16th. A major roadway of commerce, Hwy 56/156 should not be covered in snow on a workday, let alone coated in ice. Does it have to be said these dangerous road conditions not only impede the ability for people to get to work but also for goods to be moved? Does it have to be said these conditions can cause injury and damage to property? KDOT’s dereliction of duty in this regard is ridiculous and shows by action a disdain for the citizens and businesses of this area. Not to mention how schools are also forced to delay due to this ineptitude. Do better.

Here’s a few tips. Try salt. If KDOT is unaware of what this substance is, you put it on fries to make them tastier and tons of it are mined in Lyons and Hutchinson. Or try sand. There’s plenty of sand pits in the area so it makes no sense why seemingly neither of these resources is utilized to make roads drivable during weather events. Final tip, that big thing on the front of your trucks ... it’s called a plow and like its agricultural cousin it is more useful when it’s in contact with the ground versus up in the air.

At this point, anything beyond a “sorry we’ll do better” will fall on deaf ears. In fact, I’ll tell you right now any excuses will not resonate with any of those who spent a morning in a ditch thanks to this continued lack of planning, foresight, and action. Businesses and individuals in this area who pay taxes deserve more than excuses of why KDOT can’t get the job done to keep roads clear in winter.

Richard Lartz

Larned