The Douglas County Public Works Department is proposing to make changes to posted route numbers on several county roads.  The changes will be presented to the Board of County Commissioners for review, discussion and approval at their Dec. 8 business meeting.  The proposed changes do not affect mailing addresses or emergency operations. Route numbers — such as 442, 458, 1029 and 1055 — are primarily used by Public Works to define maintenance operations and snow removal. 

Public Works Director Chad Voigt said the proposed changes will remove route signs from several short, low-volume roadways that are no longer part of the “major collector system” defined by the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT).  The changes will restore the original intent of using 400 numbers to indicate east-west travel, and 1000 numbers to indicate north-south travel. 

The changes will also remove duplicate route numbering on sections of roadway, which will improve mapping and communications. These changes are intended to make the numbering system more intuitive and to reduce the number of signs installed, Voigt said.  Most of the changes involve shifting existing numbers, so sign materials will be stockpiled and reused.  The changes will reduce long-term sign maintenance costs.

The most significant change will occur on the loop around Clinton Lake, currently identified as Routes 458 and 1023.  The loop is proposed to be identified as Route 5, from Stull to the lower dam road. Another major change will occur on the route from Lecompton to Big Springs, currently identified as Route 1023.  That route is proposed to be identified as Route 3. Public Works prepared a set of maps showing all of the proposed changes in detail.

Public Works has reviewed the proposed changes with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Douglas County Emergency Communications, Consolidated Fire District No. 1, township leaders and other agencies.