Portion of Route 1055 to be closed March 19

The Douglas County Public Works Department announces that beginning Thursday, March 19, Route 1055 (E 1700 Road) will be closed to through traffic between N 400 Road and N 600 Road for Phase 1 of project work to improve roadside safety.  The Route 1055 closures will be from the north side of the N 400 Road intersection to the south side of the N 600 Road intersection.  Each intersection will remain open during Phase 1 work, which is anticipated to last approximately one week, weather permitting.

A signed detour for the Phase 1 closure will be established.  The signed detour for Phase 1 work follows US-56 highway, US-59 highway, and Route 460 (N 650 Rd/N 600 Rd).

Phase 2 of the project will commence after Phase 1 work is completed.  During Phase 2, the N 600 Road intersection will be closed to all traffic.  The signed detour will be adjusted to follow US-56 highway, US-59 highway, and Route 458 (N 1000 Road).  It is currently anticipated that Phase 2 work will commence March 30.

The purpose of the current project is to improve roadside safety on Route 1055 from Route 12 (N 400 Road) to Route 460 (N 700 Road) at Vinland.  The project includes removing trees within the road right-of-way between N 500 Road and N 600 Road, replacing nine narrow culverts, and construction of paved shoulders at the Route 1055/N 600 Road intersection.  Two separate projects will follow the current project.  Those two projects will (1) replace the large box culvert 0.1 mile north of N 500 Road with a single-span concrete bridge, and (2) rehabilitate pavement between N 400 Road and N 700 Road, including the addition of paved shoulders from N 500 Road north approximately 0.6 miles.

The current construction project is funded by federal safety funding administered through KDOT and Douglas County’s Capital Improvement Program (CIP).  KDOT awarded the contract to RD Johnson Excavating Co., Inc., who submitted the low bid of $479,970.70.