Area projects among 85 awarded by KDOT

A group of local road projects are among 85 statewide construction projects to be awarded contracts in one of the largest monthly bid lettings ever by the Kansas Department of Transportation.

The local projects, totaling about $1.8 million, include a $766,263 project to overlay a total of 14.5 miles of Kansas Highway 3 from the Bourbon and Crawford county line north to the east junction of Kansas Highway 39; and K-3 from the junction of Kansas Highway 47 north to the Bourbon and Crawford county line.

The other project is a $990,128 project to provide overlay on a total of 21.5 miles of Kansas Highway 31 from the Bourbon and Linn county line to the east junction of K-7; K-31 from the junction of Kansas Highway 52 to the Linn and Bourbon county line; and Kansas Highway 65 from the junction of K-3 east to the junction of K-31. All local projects were awarded to Heckert Construction Co., Inc., based in Pittsburg.

The large number of total projects included in the June letting is attributed to T-WORKS, the comprehensive transportation program passed by the Kansas Legislature this year. Seventy of the projects totaling millions of dollars were suspended in March due to budget cuts, but T-WORKS provided the funds necessary to proceed with the projects, KDOT officials said.

"One of the key components of T-WORKS is preservation work to protect KDOT's investment in the state highway system," KDOT Secretary Deb Miller said. "The June letting allows us to get our preservation program back on track with important projects such as overlays, sealing, pavement patching, crack repair and bridge repairs."

Miller said the large number of projects comes at an especially good time for contractors, who are still struggling to get jobs and put employees to work. A total of 37 contractors were awarded projects, which will create hundreds of jobs for contractors and suppliers.

Transportation revenue provided by the 10-year, $8.2 billion T-WORKS program will fully fund the state's highway preservation needs and provide an additional $1.7 billion in revenue for highway modernization projects, along with increased funding for transit, aviation and short-line rail programs.

For a list of other bids approved during the June 16 letting, visit www.ksdot.org.