Phase 4 of K-18/K-177 pavement improvement project begins

The next phase of the road work on Kansas Highway 18/Kansas Highway 177 is underway.

The Kansas Department of Transportation on Wednesday announced the pavement improvement project in Riley County had moved into Phase 4, which will include shifting traffic to outer lanes and easing some turning restrictions.

North/westbound and south/eastbound traffic still will travel in one lane each direction as work crews reconstruct the medians. However, traffic now will move through the outer lanes rather than the inner lanes.

There will still be turning restrictions at the McDowell Creek Road intersections, but all other side streets now will allow left turns.

KDOT officials expect this configuration to last until August.

Phase 4 is the second-to-last phase of the project. The final phase will include permanent pavement marking, and there may be some individual lane closures as needed. Traffic control will be in place to alert and direct motorists to the changes.

KDOT officials expect the entire project to wrap up by the end of August, as long as weather conditions permit it.

They also urge all motorists to be alert and obey warning signs when approaching and driving through a highway work zone.