The new four-lane section of U.S. Highway 59 through Douglas County is expected to be open by Wednesday afternoon.
Officials with the Kansas Department of Transportation said the multi-year highway project is all but complete and unrestricted traffic on the new highway — which runs between Lawrence and Ottawa — should begin by “afternoon or early evening” on Wednesday.
KDOT spokeswoman Kimberly Qualls said that during the next few days, motorists should expect a few minor lane closures as cleanup work is completed.
As work winds down on the new highway, Qualls said crews will begin making improvements to the former U.S. Highway 59, which will become a frontage road for local traffic.
Qualls said several sections of pavement will be replaced on “old Highway 59.” Work is expected to begin in the next few days, and is scheduled to be completed by late next summer.
Wednesday’s opening will mark the completion of $145 million worth of road work, which converted U.S. 59 from a two-lane state highway into a four-lane freeway between Lawrence and Ottawa.
Comments
Hooligan_016 1 year, 2 months ago
Wheeeee! Can't wait!
MyOpinionCounts 1 year, 2 months ago
Woo hoo!! about time!
wallyks 1 year, 2 months ago
Don't hold your breath, Kim has fooled the traveling public before.
nytemayr 1 year, 2 months ago
wow a real road finally
frankfussman 1 year, 2 months ago
Hwy 59 could have been made into a "super 2" many many years ago, just like the rest of the highway from Ottawa to Oklahoma. Someone has held this up for ransom for all these years, to get a 4-lane road. Did someone say Wal-Mart?
bd 1 year, 2 months ago
bout time!
otto 1 year, 2 months ago
Be real nice when you can jump on the bypass and drive across the scenic wetlands.
LawrenceTownie 1 year, 2 months ago
Well, Wal-Mart now has their four lane road all done !
Flap Doodle 1 year, 2 months ago
It's all been built on STOLEN Land!!!!! (oh, wait, I was channeling another poster)
digger1 1 year, 2 months ago
I live south and come to Lawrence a few times a year. It will be nice to get to the bypass and make a right
Mike Ford 1 year, 2 months ago
actually snap I'm part of the reason this highway was built 300 feet from the existing highway instead of 3/4ths of a mile over. We succeeded in protecting native sites and farms from Ottawa to Lawrence. Talk to the Ottawa, Shawnee, Sac and Fox, Kaw, and Osage peoples about that land. we succeeded there. bet you didn't know that did you?
digger1 1 year, 2 months ago
Your full of it.
Crazy_Larry 1 year, 2 months ago
Cocaine...or maybe lime...I forget. It's lime for modifying or stabilizing the soil. Lime reacts with medium, moderately fine and fine-grained soils to produce decreased plasticity, increased workability, reduced swelling, and increased strength.
Jared Paslay 1 year, 2 months ago
I'm Glade to have been a part of the team that built it.
Mike Ford 1 year, 2 months ago
observant go look up the Federal Highway EIS book at the library concerning US 59.....I have my copy on my shelves of legal books. I'm in it. more trolling nonsense right nonobservant?
digger1 1 year, 2 months ago
I would hope you never drive on it since the dirty white man(and others) built it. That's right, those people actually WORKED for a living.
catfishturkeyhunter 1 year, 2 months ago
That coment shows just how narrow minded you are.
Bman77 1 year, 2 months ago
You guys crack me up! Good for those of you who built it, bravo! Cheers to those of you who saved a little land and the man made wetlands, yea! I was born and raised here, and that road has always been a death trap. I am happy to see these 4 lanes. You would be as well if you cared as much about humans as you do about seeing your own words in print. Get over yourself.
Crazy_Larry 1 year, 2 months ago
You go, boy!
Crazy_Larry 1 year, 2 months ago
Socialism at its finest. All of you right-wing dipsticks should avoid this monstrosity...hypocrites. You didn't build that! Dum, dum-dum, dumb!
Mike Ford 1 year, 2 months ago
I'll always drive the old highway. I'll let the impatient franklin county people who think speed limits or double lines don't apply to them because they don't believe in government use the new highway. hopefully the billy bob dualie drivers who don't obey traffic laws use that road also. I'll also remind these impatient drivers that the government they rail against built this road for them and their amnesia and denial.
catfishturkeyhunter 1 year, 2 months ago
Franklin County People? Really... I guess you forgot that was the only road to get to I 35 and one of the main routes to South Eastern Kansas.
chucklehead 1 year, 2 months ago
Me too! Can't wait to get the folks who think that driving 70mph will make up for being late off my rear-end.
Mike Ford 1 year, 2 months ago
oh yeah digger1, I drive for a living and have done so at the same company for fifteen years. wrong again trolls.
average 1 year, 2 months ago
The 'old 59' will not be totally continuous. It is continuous from N1000 Rd (Wells Overlook Rd) in Douglas Cty. to Shawnee Rd in Franklin Cty. But, on the south end, you have to get on the four-lane for a mile to connect to Main Street Ottawa, and the story is similar on the north. This is also a little inconvenient for people who expect the 'old 59' to become a popular biking route like the "old K-10" to Eudora.
Crazy_Larry 1 year, 2 months ago
If government doesn't create jobs, who built this highway? Who paid for this highway? Hey Mittens! Lookie here!
local_interest 1 year, 2 months ago
In the time I have lived out here (near the 59 Zarco, just shy of 10 years), I have seen or heard of the following:
I remember reading (I'll see if I can find it) that mile for mile the section of 59hwy between south Lawrence and 56hwy was one of the most dangerous sections of pavement in the country or state (can't remember which).
Driving the new road today was so much safer than before. Places to safely stop a car without suddenly finding a deep ditch, and no high speed corners. Nice smooth transitions.
In this case, I am ok with my tax dollars being spent this way.
queen 1 year, 2 months ago
It's a faster, safer, and a WAY LOUDER route! Living nearly two miles away from 59 was quiet and serene. Replacing the sounds of nature now is the incessant noise of semi trucks, cars that need mufflers and the happy highway troopers who, gauging from the frequency of their sirens being heard, have definitely made A LOT of money giving out speeding tickets over the last 4 days.
After driving hwy 59 for as long as I have and the many accidents I have witnessed, the new highway is safer and that is good. It's too bad that paving through the country side for safety has a very unpleasant side as well. Anyone in the market for a "country house"?
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