McPherson - The second of a series of working meetings of the K-61 Community Advisory Group is
scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 10, from 1:00 - 4:00 P.M. at the Bank of America Building, Corner of
Marlin and Maple, McPherson. The group, comprised of community leaders recommended by K-61 project
sponsors in Reno and McPherson counties and the cities of Hutchinson, McPherson and Inman, serve as
the community voice to the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) and its consultants Wilson and
Company, Salina HNTB, Overland Park and PEC, Wichita in developing plans to improve the stretch of
highway between McPherson and Hutchinson. Quarterly meetings of the group are scheduled throughout
the two-year planning phase of the project at various sites within the project area.
This meeting will cover the recent Drop-in Center at the Hutchinson Mall, an update on the telephone
and Origin and Destination survey. The group will also discuss some of the factors that affect the
physical design of the roadway.
"The input of the Community Advisory Group will be important for us to weigh community reaction to
some of the recent efforts to inform the public of the project." said Carl Hill, KDOT public
involvement liaison. The corridor location design concept study is one of KDOT's System Enhancement
Projects of the Comprehensive Transportation Plan. The study will examine feasible locations for a
four-lane roadway and the potential to upgrade the existing two-lane highway to four-lanes. Cooperative
funding between KDOT and local partners such as cities and counties is used to design and build special
projects that will substantially improve safety, relieve traffic congestion and enhance economic
development.
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