Tuesday, September 26, 1967
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
5
Commuting problems examined
By Pam Peck Kansan Staff Reporter
Mass commuting has produced mass confusion on the major nontoll access routes to Lawrence—U.S. 59 south, U.S. 40 north and west and K-10 east. Appeals for highway improvements have been made by commuters, and city and county officials.
Increased enrollment at KU and increased employment in Lawrence industries make mass commuting more of a necessity today than in the 1920's and 30's when these highways were originally built.
Nearly 500 KU students commute from Johnson County alone. Some 30 students commute from Franklin County, to the south.
Not built for speed
Access routes to Lawrence were engineered at a time before speed was included in designing standards. The approximate speed limit in the 20's was 45 m.p.h., quite a contrast to today's 70 m.p.h. speed limit.
General maintenance work is done on a day-to-day basis. However, most recent widening and resurfacing work done on highway 40-north was in 1957, 40-west in 1954, 59-south in 1955 and 10-east in 1956. Some shoulder stabilization was completed on K-10 in 1963.
Commuters said Lawrence's access highways are narrow hillwinders and unsuitable for congested traffic. Traffic congestion arising from shift changes at industrial plants, stopped school busses and farm machinery on roadways, causes frustration. Motorists often take chances in order to make up for lost time.
Trooper Wilson talks
Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper Bill Wilson, stationed in Douglas County, said speed in excess of what existing conditions are designed for causes most accidents, he said, include congested traffic, wet highways, the inability to judge what other motorists will do before they do it, conditions of the car and conditions, both mental and physical, of the driver.
Several motorists, including the manager of the Holton Transport Company, Lawrence, said more four-lane highways are needed to get traffic out of the city faster.
Commuters say hills and curves in the access highways allow few safe passing zones and more accidents. However, the National Safety Council reports more accidents occur on clear, straight level highways. Still, 1,452 accidents, taking 13 lives and injuring 852, occurred on Douglas County's highways in 1966.
The S-curves on U.S. 59 south of Lawrence were termed "death traps" by Ted Fogle of the Fogle Quarries, Ottawa. Mrs. Dorothy Thomson, Ottawa, secretary to football coach "Pepper" Rodgers,
said driving on U.S. S9 is a nightmare when rain and snow are falling. She counts five passing zones between Lawrence and Ottawa and said few improvements have been made on the route in recent years.
The executive committee of the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce and city and county commissioners, concerned about area highways, met recently to agree upon common highway projects.
Keith Winter, Chamber manager, said the group believes Douglas County routes have been neglected. They plan to appear before the State Highway Commission to present plans and ask for aid. They would like the following improvements:
- Another bridge over the Kansas River in Lawrence.
- Improvements of the 6th and Iowa intersection and widening of U.S. 40 from 6th Street to two miles west of Lawrence.
- U.S. 59 widened on Iowa St.
south to the Lone Star road.
Widening of 23rd St. (K-10) to Barker St. and the addition of a median strip.
A lack of funds is emphasized by the State Highway Commission's Bureau of Public Information, which said Kansas has a total of 10,000 miles of highways, second only to Texas. However, Kansas is one of three states tied for last in amount of gasoline revenues, which produce the largest portion of highway funds.
During the 1966 fiscal year, the Commission received $70,354,000 from tag fees, gasoline tax, other general fees and federal aid. The money is divided between administration, maintenance and interstate highways and their access roads. In 1966, $36.5 million was left for division and use for construction in the Commission's six highway divisions. Population, traffic and condition of highways determine how much each division is allotted. The northeast division, which includes Douglas County, received 23.1 per cent of
the $36.5 million, the largest allotment to any of the six divisions.
Because of lack of funds, the State Highway Commission can make highway construction plans only on a tentative basis from an estimate of funds for the fiscal year. Tentative plans for Douglas County highways after the present fiscal year, ending July 1, are:
$\bullet$ Grading, bridge and resurfacing work on K-10 from Learned St. in Lawrence to two miles east of the city.
$\textcircled{1}$ Grading and bridge work from the Lawrence urban limits to one mile east.
- Grading on K-10 from Eudora east to the county line.
No mention of improvements for U.S. 40 or U.S. 59 are made in the Commission's tentative plans.
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