Mark Fagan / LJWorld.com

Staff

Mark Fagan (Transportation reporter)

I’ve been a reporter and editor at the Journal-World since 1992, and have been turning stories and other content for 6News and LJWorld.com since before media convergence was considered cool.

While I now concentrate on transportation news, I’ve been known to dip into matters ranging from business to bioscience to Kansas University basketball.

For a story, I once drove a former Winston Cup car for 10 laps around Kansas Speedway, apparently at speeds reaching 165 mph (that’s what they told me; the car had no speedometer, not that I would have chanced looking at it anyway).

I say roundabouts make sense both on paper and in practice, although I have many friends who constantly try to convince me otherwise. And bacon is the greatest meat on Earth.

I also drive a Honda Odyssey minivan, and am darned happy about that — I figure its well earned family-wagon appearance has helped me avoid at least a few tickets, compared with the citation-magnet red Civic I used to drive.

Recent stories

Wheel Genius: Road work set for this week: By Mark Fagan; November 8, 2009; Road work set to take place this week.
Kansas Highway Patrol advises football fans to arrive early, stay sober at KU-KSU game: By Mark Fagan; November 6, 2009; The Kansas Highway Patrol offers a winning game plan for fans attending Saturday’s Sunflower Showdown in Manhattan: Arrive early and leave sober.
Sewage line rupture causes Emery Road to be closed for a block south of Ninth Street: By Mark Fagan; November 6, 2009; A block of Emery Road near the Kansas University campus is closed to through traffic, as city crews work to repair a ruptured sewer line that has “compromised” the road, Lawrence police said this morning.
City crews prepare for when the snowflakes start to fall: By Mark Fagan; November 3, 2009; For nearly nine hours Tuesday, Tom Orzulak’s crews spread out on 16 familiar routes to traverse Lawrence’s network of 805 lane miles to practice what they’re capable of, responsible for and familiar with: keeping the city’s streets clear of ice and snow.
City Commission to consider keeping Kasold open amid rebuilding project: By Mark Fagan; November 3, 2009; Kasold Drive would be rebuilt with new right-turn lanes, a center turn lane and other features to ease driving between Clinton Parkway and 31st Street, according to plans envisioned at City Hall.
Trafficway opponents seek KU roadblock: By Mark Fagan; November 2, 2009; If the South Lawrence Trafficway is to be built along an approved alignment through the Baker Wetlands, some of the resulting pavement would need to cross a 20-acre patch of property owned by Kansas University. And a coalition of project opponents is pushing the university to put the brakes on the highway plan, or at least steer the project south of the Wakarusa River.
Kansas Turnpike Authority plans to demolish Kansas River bridges in two weeks: By Mark Fagan; November 2, 2009; The Kansas Turnpike Authority plans to blast one of its original Kansas River bridges Nov. 15, dropping the steel structure into the water for removal and eventual salvage. The second of the two bridges would be blasted Nov. 19.
Program extension to help housing market: By Mark Fagan; November 2, 2009; An $8,000 tax credit continues to spur area residents to shop for and buy their first homes.
Wheel Genius: Road work set for this week: By Mark Fagan; November 1, 2009; Area road work planned this week:
Pharmacy records recovered from downtown trash bin: By Mark Fagan; October 29, 2009; The owner of the former Round Corner Pharmacy was scrambling Thursday night to recover hundreds of detailed customer records that had been thrown away during the building’s renovations.

Full story list

Recent photos

Messages for Mother's Day are rising on the fronts and sides of some KU on Wheels buses.

Some KU on Wheels drivers are using their bus message windows to alert students to what's important: Calling home to wish mom a happy Mother's Day, which is Sunday.

Episodes of "Friends" are among the master negatives stored at Underground Vaults and Storage in Hutchinson.

"Frankly, my dear, I could use some better company." Then again, Clark Gable (as Rhett Butler) might consider Jennifer Aniston to be an upgrade from co-star Vivien Leigh (Scarlett O'Hara) from "Gone With the Wind." A master negative of the classic movie shares shelf space with Aniston and her "Friends" TV series. Copies of "Murphy Brown" and "Growing Pains" also are kept in the secure storage area, inside a former salt mine.

Master negatives of classic films, such as "Gone With the Wind," are stored for safe-keeping. The contents are meticulously catalogued, so that their owners easily can locate and retrieve them.

Full photo list