photo by: Screenshot from Google Maps

A guardrail replacement project in Douglas County will happen at the intersection of North 950 Road and East 550 Road.

Douglas County was awarded federal funding for a guardrail replacement to enhance safety on a rural roadway near Lone Star.

Governor Laura Kelly announced on Tuesday that over $8.77 million in federal funds would be awarded to 13 projects aiming to enhance the safety on rural roadways in the state. The effort is a part of the Kansas Department of Transportation’s High Risk Rural Roads Program.

“More than 50% of Kansas’ fatal and serious injury crashes happen on the local road system,” Secretary of the Kansas Department of Transportation Calvin Reed said in a press release from the State of Kansas. “The High Risk Rural Roads Program targets funding where it will have the most impact in reducing roadway fatality and serious injury crashes.”

One of the projects awarded funding was site specific to a guardrail replacement at North 950 Road and East 550 Road in Douglas County. The state awarded $250,000 in federal funds to go towards the replacement, and the county is required to contribute $22,000.

Douglas County Public Works Director Chad Voigt said via email that KDOT awarded the county 2028 funds to replace the original guardrail built in the 1970’s, and the new one will improve safety around the intersection. The intersection is just south of Clinton Lake and about three miles west of the unincorporated community of Lone Star.