Auburn Road travelers
notified of upcoming closures

Gabe Faimon
Special to the Herald-Chronicle

AUBURN—Rural Auburn residents and commuters to and from Burlingame will likely be inconvenienced during bridge construction on Auburn Road, but they have more than a year to prepare for it. Planning details for closure of the road south of Auburn during the summers of 2010 and 2011 were presented during a meeting in the Auburn Civic Center Oct. 21.

Tom Black, of Shawnee County Public Works, said two Shawnee County bridges immediately south of Auburn are structurally deficient and must be replaced. In addition, David Jacobson, of the Kansas Turnpike Authority (KTA), said that a portion of the deck of the KTA bridge crossing the turnpike had failed and has been temporarily repaired. Engineering studies conducted by the KTA concluded the bridge support structure was sound, but the deck must be replaced.

Construction of each of the three bridges was completed in 1948 in preparation for construction of the Kansas Turnpike. Currently, each of the bridges carries an average of 2,000 vehicles per day.

Representatives of both agencies agreed it would be desirable to disrupt traffic only once, while construction on all three bridges occurred simultaneously. However, Kansas law requires that all residences affected by road repairs must have road access at all times.

Due to the location of three residences between the Wakarusa River and the turnpike, the work must be split into two phases to allow those residents access.

The first phase, replacing the two Shawnee County bridges, is tentatively projected to begin in March 2010 with completion in July 2010. This phase would allow access for the three residences south of the construction zone.

Phase 2, replacing the deck of the KTA bridge, is tentatively projected to begin in March 2011, with completion in June 2011. Following completion of Phase 1, the second phase will allow access for the three residences north of the construction zone.

The officials said state law does not allow detours that route traffic from paved, all-weather roads to unpaved roads. Therefore, the official detour can only include available paved roads. Since Burlingame Road north of Burlingame does not connect with a paved east-west road to link traffic, it cannot be included as part of the official detour. East-west traffic will be routed on U.S. Highway 56 between Burlingame and the intersection of U.S. 56 and Topeka Boulevard (old Highway 75); and on 93rd Street between the intersections of Topeka Boulevard and 93rd Street and Auburn Road. North-south traffic will be routed on U.S. 56 and Topeka Boulevard and 93rd Street.

During the question and answer session, Burlingame Mayor Brenda Dorr expressed concern regarding negative impact of the detour on Burlingame, particularly area residents who commute to and from west Topeka, and Allen Community College students who commute to and from west Topeka to Burlingame.

Discussion also focused on increased traffic on Burlingame Road in Osage County and Auburn Road in Shawnee County during the past 10 to 15 years and the resulting need for a turnpike tollgate south of Auburn.

Representatives of the KTA said that a cost-benefit study of the issue, conducted in 2006, did not provide favorable evidence that construction would be a good investment for the KTA, for the construction cost – estimated at $10-12 million - and operating cost must be covered by revenue generated from tolls. Discussion then turned to the possibility of joint funding between the KTA and jurisdictions benefiting from the venture.

The meeting concluded with recognition of the need for all affected jurisdictions to work together to conduct long-range planning that would effectively address expected population and economic growth, increased traffic on Auburn and Burlingame roads, and establishment of a gate near Auburn for access to the turnpike.

The meeting was hosted by the city of Auburn, with Shawnee County Commissioner Shelly Buhler convening the meeting.

Details regarding the construction projects and detour are anticipated to be addressed in a public meeting early in 2010, approximately six to eight weeks before the scheduled start of the first phase of the project.