Pratt County approves state agreement for high‑risk rural road widening project

Pratt County commissioners voted to approve an agreement with the Kansas Department of Transportation for project number 76‑5368‑01, a high‑risk rural roads project to widen the Byers blacktop (described in the meeting as the buyer’s blacktop) roughly 6.6 miles north from U.S. 54.

A county speaker said the state will let the project, and county staff noted that Kirkham (identified in discussion as the engineering firm) is expected to perform preliminary and construction engineering and must include a state‑required provision in the construction‑engineering contract. The commission approved the agreement and authorized the county seal; commissioners recorded the motion and vote as passed, 3‑0.

The item drew discussion about state letting and about whether the bridge and related work carried different project cost splits; commissioners asked staff to circulate executed copies after signatures.

The contract approval starts the state-led process for construction letting and engineering; specific construction schedules, contractor selection and mobilization timing were not included in the county’s meeting record.