The completion of U.S. Highway 69 has been delayed for years. The Kansas Department of Transportation held public meetings last month, and residents have spoken out at city commission meetings. KRPS’s Fred Fletcher-Fierro has more.
Discussions improving U.S. 69 or the Pittsburg Bypass, have been ongoing for decades. The project would expand an 18-mile stretch of 69 to a four-lane freeway, beginning at the Cherokee-Crawford County line and continuing north of the city of Arma.
Recently, KDOT received a $13 million federal earmark to fund a small phase of the Pittsburg Bypass. That phase, as originally designed, would extend U.S. 160 west along what is now 590th Avenue for two miles, expanding the current two-lane county road into a four-lane highway.
The current cost estimate for that phase is $15 million. Pittsburg resident Jerry Lomsheck highlighted a major issue with completing U.S. 69 during a commission meeting on Tuesday.
“There’s some question whether any alternatives will be built since no funds are currently allocated for this project other than the 13 million for expanding Highway 160. If the country and city remain opposed on a mutual agreement on this project, its viability is further threatened.”
The entire U.S. 69 Crawford County Corridor project is expected to cost over $400 million, and no funding has been identified for construction, aside from a federal earmark. KDOT has not provided any updates on the Highway 69 project in over a month.
For 89 9 KRPS News, I’m Fred Fletcher-Fierro
