Work begins on US-69 expansion

By Donald LaForte

Work began last week on the long-running project to expand sections of US-69 to a four-lane highway. There are three sections to be done and the first is contracted to be completed by November of 2018.

Jake LaTurner, Kansas senator, said that the governor wants that first section done by the end of his term. The first section is from Fort Scott to the Crawford County line. The second will begin .2 miles north of K-47 and the US-69 junction and end three miles north of the Arma city limit. The third will cover the rest of the area to Pittsburg.

LaTurner said that those second and third sections will be “left to bid” by the time Governor Brownback leaves office. Each project is around $25 million according to LaTurner and he thinks this will be very beneficial to the people of Southeast Kansas.

“This project means safety and it means jobs,” said LaTurner. “Southeast Kansas should be very proud because this has been a bipartisan effort for decades.”