$230M project to improve commute on E. Kellogg set to start next June
WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) – A recent pause in Kellogg construction didn’t last. In December, the heavily traveled east-west thoroughfare was briefly construction-free in Wichita for the first time many could remember. The work to improve the highway turned freeway kicks into high gear with an anticipated expansion project set to start next year.
In Andover Monday afternoon, Kansas Governor Laura Kelly announced a second round of infrastructure upgrades, which includes extending upgrades on Kellogg for about two miles, from the K-96 interchange to just east of the Sedgwick-Butler County line. This $230 million project includes expanding the stretch from K-96 in east Wichita to half a mile east of 159th Street East, in Andover, to six lanes.
The project is receiving local matches form the cities of Wichita and Andover, as well as Sedgwick and Butler counties. The Kansas Department of Transportation said construction is slated to begin next June.
Kelly touched on how the expansion is expected to improve traffic on one of the busier stretches of Kellogg heading out of Wichita.
“I moved to Kansas in 1986 and I had a job that took me across the state, including Wichita often,” Kelly said. “It drove me crazy when I had to get off Highway 54/Kellogg and wind my way through all of those cones, all the time. Years,” the governor said. “It is really wonderful to see this come to fruition.”
The expansion project on East Kellogg is part of the Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Program, or “IKE.” A news release from the governor’s office listed 11 projects in total added to the “Ike Construction Pipeline” totaling more than $520 million, detailed below:
| Project Description | Scope | Miles | Construction Cost Estimate (millions) | Scheduled Construction Letting | Project Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US-40/K-10 (South Lawrence Trafficway) in Douglas County: from north of the K-10/US-40 junction south and east to the K-10/US-59/Iowa Street junction | Convert to 4-lane freeway and construct a new interchange at the Wakarusa/27th Street intersection. This is the first of two projects. | 7 | $124 | 2024 | Expansion |
| K-68 in Miami County: from US-169 east approximately 7 miles to west of US-69 at Louisburg | Construct 4-lane expressway |
7 | $48 | 2025 | Expansion |
| US-54 (Kellogg Avenue) in Sedgwick County: K-96 interchange east to 0.5 mile east of 159th Street (East Kellogg project Phase 1) | Reconstruct to 6-lane freeway | 2 | $230 | 2023 | Expansion |
| K-99 in Wabaunsee County: from I-70/K-99 junction north 2 miles | Reconstruction with 10-foot shoulders | 2 | $12 | 2024 | Modernization |
| K-4 in Saline County: from approximately 2 miles east of the K-4/K-104 junction to just east of the K-4/South Kipp Road intersection | Reconstruction and realignment | 7 | $23 | 2024 | Modernization |
| K-177 in Morris County: from just north of South 850 Road north to Velie Street in Council Grove | Heavy rehabilitation and add shoulders, two bridge replacements | 3 | $8 | 2024 | Modernization |
| I-70 in Geary County: K-18 interchange | Interchange reconstruction and improvements | – | $16 | 2025 | Modernization |
| US-183 bypass in Ellis County: Bridge #019 located at Junction US-183 bypass/I-70 | Interchange reconstruction | – | $18 | 2024 | Modernization |
| K-23 in Sheridan County: approximately 1 mile south of County Road 70 South (CR-406), north to Hoxie (Walnut Avenue) | Reconstruct and add shoulders, two bridge replacements | 6 | $18 | 2024 | Modernization |
| US-281 in Osborne County: from north junction of US-24/281 north to Portis (State Street) | Reconstruct and add shoulders, two bridge replacements | 3 | $21 | 2024 | Modernization |
| K-33 in Franklin County: from Shawnee Road to Pendleton Avenue | Reconstruct highway, I-35 bridge replacement and interchange improvements | 1 | $10 | 2025 | Modernization |
“Expanding and modernizing our highways will improve roadway safety, create good jobs, and deliver more economic opportunities across Kansas, both now and in the future,” said Governor Kelly. “These 11 projects demonstrate that investing in transportation benefits our communities, taxpayers, and businesses.”
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