photo by: Nick Krug

Motorists along East 1200 Road approach a stop sign at an intersection that connects East 1200 Road and the South Lawrence Trafficway just south of the Kasold curve on Tuesday, March 29, 2016.

Douglas County commissioners are encouraged to make their own requests of the Kansas Department of Transportation when the department officials share with them its solution for the Kasold Road/Kansas Highway 10 intersection.

The Douglas County Commission and Lawrence City Commission will jointly meet with KDOT officials at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at Lawrence City Hall, 6 E. Sixth St. The joint meeting is a change from KDOT’s earlier plan to present its findings on Wednesday to the County Commission after sharing them Tuesday to the Lawrence City Commission.

KDOT has been studying alternatives for the intersection because of safety concerns with the expected increase in traffic of K-10 west of U.S. Highway 59 when the South Lawrence Trafficway opens this fall.

KDOT officials have selected a right-on, right-off alternative for the intersection. That alternative was selected over the installation of a traffic signal at the intersection, closing access to Kasold Drive and East 1200 Road or leaving the intersection as it is.

In a written report to county commissioners on the KDOT meeting, Keith Browning, the county’s public works director, reminded them the selected alternative would not install a traffic signal at U.S. Highway 59 and County Road 458, which would have been part of a plan to close the East 1200 Road intersection. He notes that intersection is very close to meeting KDOT criteria for a signal and traffic at that intersection could be expected to increase with the change at Kasold Drive/East 1200 Road.

“A discussion of a traffic signal at the Route 458/US-59 intersection should be initiated by commissioners if not by KDOT,” Browning wrote in the report.

Commissioners should also encourage KDOT to work with the city and county on a separated-grade Wakarusa Drive interchange to serve west Lawrence and southwest Douglas County, Browning said in the report. The interchange would allow KDOT to close at-grade intersections at Kasold Drive/East 1200 Road and Wakarusa Drive, he said. The project would include the extension of Wakarusa Drive south to County Road 458.

“I believe the interchange could be constructed on a two-lane K-10, as opposed to waiting to construct the interchange with the construction of a four-lane K-10,” Browning wrote. “An extended Wakarusa Drive would provide improved access between southwest Douglas County and west Lawrence, and the interchange would improve traffic capacity and safety on K-10.”