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Committee Hears Bill To Name Highways, Bridge as POW‑MIA Memorials
Summary
A Transportation Committee hearing on House Bill 2,124 reviewed commemorative namings: a Corporal Monty Wayne Forest Memorial Highway segment on U.S. 160, two U.S. 77 segments and a K‑82 bridge to be designated POW‑MIA memorials; signs would be installed only after the Kansas Department of Transportation receives required payments.
House Bill 2,124, which would assign commemorative names to two highway segments and one bridge, received proponent testimony at a Transportation Committee hearing.
The bill would: designate a segment of U.S. Highway 160 from the eastern city limits of Aragonia east to its junction with Eden Road as the Corporal Monty Wayne Forest Memorial Highway; designate portions of U.S. Highway 77 — including the stretch from its junction with Interstate 70 North in Gary County to the western junction with U.S. Highway 24 in Riley County and a separate northbound segment from the eastern junction with U.S. 24 to the junction with K‑16 — as the POW MIA Memorial Highway; and designate a bridge on K‑82 in Clay County as the POW MIA Memorial Bridge. The bill preserves the existing sign‑installation requirement: signs will not be placed until the Secretary of Transportation has received the cost of the signs plus 50 percent.
Representative Blum (testifying in support) framed the designations as a statewide commitment to remember prisoners of war and service members missing in action, saying motorists along the designated routes would be reminded “of the courage, resilience, and sacrifice” of those service members. Local veterans and veterans‑service organization leaders spoke in support, describing family impacts and the local history behind the request.
John Grama, identified as commander of the Wakefield VFW post, recounted personal military experiences and said he supports a memorial designation so Kansas residents will “not forget” POWs and MIAs. Glenn Nelson, the POW‑MIA chairman for a Wakefield VFW post, told the committee he had researched local missing service members and reported that “Kansas has 11,179 who are still missing, unaccounted for,” and argued a statewide memorial would acknowledge those losses.
Committee members offered procedural and local remarks of support. Senator Arbine noted the route crosses his district in Gary County; Senator Tyson described the area as a scenic part of the state. Questions from members and committee discussion focused on fundraising and KDOT’s existing sign‑payment rule; proponents said local veterans’ groups plan fundraisers and that KDOT requires payment before signs are installed.
The committee took testimony and then closed the hearing on HB 2,124 without a recorded committee vote during the session.
Proponents asked the committee to advance the bill; no formal motion or committee action to pass the bill was recorded on the transcript during this hearing.
