KDOT Cherokee County Hwy 166

Project Overview

The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) awarded this $54.8 million project to Emery Sapp & Sons (ESS) to expand a five-mile section of U.S. 166 in Cherokee County. This expansion replaced a two-lane roadway between the U.S. 166/U.S. 400 and U.S. 166/K-26 junctions with a divided four-lane, access controlled highway. The addition of these lanes has increased the safety and accessibility of the residents of Cherokee County by providing more space on the roadway. The extended expressway was built on an offset alignment south of the existing highway. Early phases of the project included equipment staging, clearing, and bridge work.

The crew faced substantial inconsistencies within the geological features of the work site. One of these unforeseen challenges included varying elevation of the bedrock. In order to complete this project on schedule, ESS adjusted several of the bridge foundations in progress and reworked the mass grading plan.

This project is one of a few in the country to be paved using stringless asphalt technology. Stringless technology operates from fixed points which control the elevation of the asphalt through electronic modes during steering and grading, ultimately decreasing the risk of human error. The crew in Cherokee County has led the way for innovation within the industry. The project was completed in May 2024.