Section of ‘old’ Kansas Highway 10 reopens to traffic

A stretch of “old” Kansas Highway 10 is back in service, smoothing out a popular route connecting Lawrence and Eudora.

The three-mile section of Douglas County Route 442 — running from a half-mile east of Noria Road to the route’s bridge over the Wakarusa River, just west of Eudora — reopened Tuesday afternoon, after an overhaul that started June 20.

Perry-based Hamm Inc. finished the $1.1 million project two weeks early, having removed the top five inches of pavement and replacing it will a special layer of sealant, topped by another four inches of fresh asphalt.

The persistent bumps caused by shifting joints have been smoothed over by a surface designed to accommodate the road’s 4,000 daily vehicles for years to come.

“The original K-10 was built in the 1930s, and the concrete (base) is actually in decent shape,” said Terese Gorman, engineering division manager for Douglas County. “We think we’ll get another 20 to 25 years of life out of this roadway, with this treatment.

“That doesn’t mean we won’t touch it for 20 to 25 years, but we think we’ve improved the life significantly.”