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News Release
| Thank You for Attending K-61 Meeting | Friday, March 28, 2003
| To the Editor: On behalf of the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) and its consultants,
I would like to say "Thank You!" to the public officials and members of the public who attended the
public officials meeting on March 14, 2003 concerning the K-61 Enhancement Study. The meeting was held
to review the McPherson interchange concept and to present the results of the alternate alignment review
from Hutchinson to Medora. About 80 people attended the meeting to listen to the presentation and
discuss the issues. Most of the people who attended the meeting supported making K-61 into a four-lane
highway.
KDOT and its consultants conducted the alternate alignment review because some of the people who
commented at the December 2002 public meetings felt that inaccurate data was used to estimate the
number of the relocations. They felt that there would be fewer relocations and less expense if the
road was improved along the existing alignment. In response to these concerns, the study team spent
the past few months reviewing its evaluations and considering other alternatives closer to K-61. The
study team compared estimated right-of-way costs for three alternative alignments by looking at the
following:
The number of relocationsAmount of developed landAmount of undeveloped
landThe taxable value of the land and structuresThe undeveloped land value
Estimated relocation costs
The unfortunate consequence of making K-61 into a safer highway for the thousands of motorists who use
the highway each day is that some local residents and businesses will be affected, no matter where the
road is located. The review confirmed earlier estimates that there would be fewer relocations and lower
right-of-way costs using the alternative west of the existing road rather than building closer to the
current alignment. For those reasons and others, the corridor that was recommended at the December
public meeting remains the recommended corridor. The alternate alignment review handout available at
the March 14 meeting will be mailed in the next few weeks to everyone on the K-61 mailing list. It can
also be viewed on the project website: www.k61enhancement.org.
There were a number of other concerns raised during the March meeting. They included questions about
why improving the existing road between Hutchinson and Medora was not recommended and why a freeway was
chosen for that section. Concerns about the safety of the Buhler Road intersection near Medora and
about the fate of the existing road were also raised. We appreciate everyone taking the time to
get involved. We took extensive notes at the meeting. We plan to summarize the concerns and address
them in a mailing that will accompany the alternative alignment review mailing which will go to people
on the K-61 mailing list. We will also put them on the project website.
Ron Kaufman
Public Involvement Administrator
Kansas Department of Transportation
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