Leavenworth County commissioners order traffic study after residents ask for 4-way stop; approve multiple road and bridge projects

Leavenworth County commissioners heard from neighbors about a hazardous intersection and directed staff to pursue an engineering recommendation, then approved multiple road and bridge measures including equipment purchases and a revised five-year capital improvement plan.

"I am here to formally request that the county install a 4-way stop at the intersection of 200 Eleventh and McIntyre," said Jessica, a Leavenworth County resident and bus driver, who delivered a signed petition asking the board to act. She told commissioners the intersection has "poor visibility and increased speeds" and described repeated near misses.

Tom Putoff, a Tomanoxie resident who drives a special-needs van, told the board the intersection is especially hazardous when corn along the roadway blocks sightlines. "The visibility is almost 0 ... The corn grows up in the early spring, and the visibility is down to 0," Putoff said, and added he believes a 4-way stop is needed after a past fatality there.

Bill, a county staff member, told the board the county received a public request and that an engineering consultant, Olsen, had been asked to return analysis and a recommendation. "We asked them to return some analysis to us in a recommendation within the next 30 days," Bill said. He later told the board he expected the consultant's report within about 10 days and said that if the recommendation is for a 4-way stop it would "immediately come before the board of commissioners for your approval." Bill also noted that stop signs are regulated under federal and state statute and that the county will follow the required engineering and documentation process before changing signage.

Why it matters: commissioners balanced an immediate public-safety request from nearby residents with the state's regulatory requirements for traffic control. The county's next steps — an engineer-stamped recommendation and a possible minor roadway adjustment to locate signage correctly — determine whether a physical change can be made quickly.

The commission then moved through several formal actions on county road maintenance and capital projects. Votes on each item were taken during the meeting; the board approved all motions presented.

Key actions and context

- KDOT Innovative Technologies grant (Project 52C5380-01): The board approved an agreement to pursue a Kansas Department of Transportation grant covering up to 75 percent (maximum $15,000) toward purchase of a laser cleaning machine intended to replace some sandblasting and chemical cleaning processes. County staff said the device could remove rust and tar from equipment (including distributor bars used in roadwork) and reduce chemical use. Vance Brothers, a private contractor, has expressed interest in the machine. Commissioners approved the agreement.

- Purchase of roadside boom mower tractor: The board approved purchase of a John Deere tractor and roadside boom mower from Heritage Tractor for $210,154. Staff said the purchase replaces a unit at the end of its replacement cycle and compared bids for other, costlier specialized equipment such as timber-jack-style machines.

- Revised five-year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) for roads and bridges: Commissioners approved a revised CIP after staff described bridge failures, deferred chip-and-seal work and adjustments to funding sources. Staff said one T-beam bridge on Parallel Road near Tomanoxie suffered a deck failure; temporary steel plating and a 10‑ton posted limit were put in place. To fund an estimated $1.3 million bridge replacement, staff shifted a bridge project from 2026 to 2027 and moved certain dust-abatement projects between the highway fund and the sales-tax-funded construction fund. Staff warned the county is behind on chip-and-seal maintenance and noted that deferred maintenance increases long-term costs.

- Participatory dust-abatement program: The board voted to set aside (suspend) the participatory dust-abatement program for one year. Staff said the county's crews are behind schedule and pausing the subsidized, resident-paid program would free capacity to catch up on deferred maintenance. Staff estimated contracting the work would cost roughly double per-mile compared with in-house crews and said contracting was not recommended.

- Design and construction engineering contract for bridge T50 (Stranger Road): The board approved a $57,800 contract with Finney & Turnipseed to design and provide construction engineering and geotechnical borings for replacement of bridge T50, characterized in the meeting as an emergency replacement.

Board direction on regional transportation priorities

Commissioners also confirmed they will continue to follow the county's previously adopted regional transportation priorities in upcoming KDOT IKE (local consult) meetings and indicated support for the K-7 interchange projects identified in the county's regional plan. Staff said K-5 is already in the pipeline and that the county and cities will coordinate for letters of support at the appropriate time.

Votes at a glance

- Consent agenda: Approved (unanimous) - KDOT Innovative Technologies agreement — Project 52C5380-01 (laser cleaning machine): Approved (unanimous) - Purchase of roadside boom mower tractor (Heritage Tractor) — $210,154: Approved (unanimous) - Revised five-year CIP for road and bridge improvements: Approved (unanimous) - Suspend participatory dust-abatement program for one year (policy action): Approved (unanimous) - Design & construction engineering contract with Finney & Turnipseed for bridge T50 — $57,800: Approved (unanimous)

What commissioners said and next steps

Commissioners asked staff to bring the engineer's recommendation on the 200 Eleventh and McIntyre intersection back to the board as soon as the consultant report is complete. Bill said the county may need a small pavement modification at the southeast corner of the intersection to locate a stop sign properly if that is the recommendation. For the CIP and maintenance issues, staff outlined options including contracting work (at substantially higher per-mile cost) or pausing certain programs in the short term to catch up on deferred maintenance.

The board did not set a construction date for any specific road-repair project beyond authorizing the design contract for the T50 bridge replacement and will act on the engineer's traffic recommendation when staff presents it.