New highway to open soon
Highway from Lincolnville north to county line to be striped this week
Shad Lohman, KDOT construction manager, reports that the new section of U.S.-56/77 constructed from Lincolnville to the county line will be open soon. Stripers were to give finishing touches this week.
Early this summer, contractors discovered that several cracks had developed at spots along the new construction.
Lohman said most of the fine cracks were at the Lost Springs interchange and involved about three-fourths to one mile of roadway.
He said 50 percent of the repairs were at the interchange, which was opened to traffic in early summer. He said repairs were made with minimal effects on the flow of traffic.
Prior to the repairs being done, the state soils department spent several weeks drilling and researching the cause of the cracks.
Preliminary indications were that a sulfate in the soil reacted with the lime which was placed on the roadway before the concrete work was done, Lohman said.
He said gypsum was found at the site. Sulfate is a component of gypsum.
He also said the cracks were longitudinal and don't tend to give a lot of problems.
Project manager William Matos said repairs have been completed and all that remains to be done before the highway is opened to traffic is the striping.
Joe Palic, KDOT manager at Marion, said the surface on the old highway will be milled and the road will revert to the county.
Road superintendent Gerald Kelsey said it will be maintained as a dirt road to provide farmers with access to fields.
Millings obtained from the project are being used to provide a new road base on the Lost Springs Road (340th from Lost Springs to Quail Creek) and Middle Creek Road (250th east of U.S.-56/77).
The remainder will be used to make cold-patch material for blade-patching.
