Washington Kansas KS

The Effects of KDOT's "Engineering"

What does the Kansas Department of Transportation got against Kier's Short Stop?

I think most people are pleased with the new Hwy 36 and Hwy 15 intersection. The intersection is now a modern one, accomodating today's semi truck and trailer traffic.

However, the sore spot for many and really should be for all of us is KDOT's traffic control "engineering" around Washington's 30 year old fueling station and convenience store. KDOT's placement of the long, 6 inch raised concrete island alongside Kier's Short Stop does not service it's 30 year long established customer base. Now, it's extremely difficult, if not impossible, for any pick-up truck pulling a horse or livestock trailer, utility trailer or any trailer of any length from entering and exiting this established oasis for thirsty trailer pulling fuel tanks. In addition, this is the only publicly accessible diesel fuel pump within 12 miles. The raised concrete island with the white plastic upright "thingys" a.k.a. delineators scream "Don't get near me" and "Think about going somewhere else because this will hurt if you make a mistake." The owner of Washington's Short Stop has noticed a drop in business since the island and the upright "thingys" were installed.

What does KDOT have against this local business? Like a crazy man I took the photos below in the center of the adjacent intersection. Notice the difference? Obviously, one station is operating, one is not. The one that is not, has three, yes, three, entry and exit points, without a raised concrete island or delineators. There are no barriers of any sort. The newly created access area nearest the interesction, courtesy of KDOT via taxpayers, has a drivable lip curb, not a raised concrete island. There are no encumberances or "screaming" barriers to ward off any would-be trailer pulling customer.

Click the photos to enlarge

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The other photo tells a much different story. The barriers to potential customers are obvious. Hmm, couldn't the concrete island be only an inch or two tall rather than 6 inches? Or maybe, no island at all . . . only delineators. Or another option such as a "bump" or small bumpy stones that allowed traffic but sent the tactile and visual message "your welcome to come in and manueveur your rig but proceed slowly and with caution."

Some say the island is needed for safety. Well, I personally posed that question to the KDOT supervisors at the informal meeting at Kiers Short Stop a while ago. About a dozen locals, State Repsentative Sharon Schwartz, and two KDOT officials were present. I asked, "What collision and/or accident data do you, KDOT, have that necessitates this island? One KDOT official looks down.  Pause.  Pause. "Here in Washington?" No, I said, "at THIS location?" Pause. Pause.  Change of subject. A few moments later, I asked again "What data history of accidents and/or collisions does KDOT have at this location that necessitates this concrete island?" No immediate KDOT response but a retired 30 veteran of the Washington County Sheriff's department piped in.  Dick Tegethoff said, "In all the years I'ved lived and worked here I can't recall a singe incident here." Privately I met with the same KDOT official a few minutes later and he said to me, "We have no data."

If there isn't a sore, why would you apply a bandage?

What is the real issue? As I write this, there is news of yet another business closing in this small town in rural Kansas. Like many small towns in Kansas, Washington will have yet another empty commercial building that doesn't collect sales taxes, pay employees and the owners can probably claim to pay less property taxes. Survival is at stake. Every dollar counts. Every job counts. One of the keys of small town survival is for a business to be able to profit from every potential customer including and especially from those from the outside. Kier's Short Stop is the first fueling station that a motorist sees coming from the East and currently has the only publicly accessible diesel fuel pump. Anything placed in the way that discourages a potential customer eventually hurts all of us. Both diesel and regular gasoline are needed for refueling locally owned and operated full sized pick-up trucks pulling farm and utility trailers and those out-of-towners pulling recreational vehicles or utility trailers. Kier's Short Stop's trailer pulling customers have manuevered for 30 years without incident. KDOT's current choice of traffic "engineering" is discouraging customers to this local business and is contributing to the death of yet another small town, locally owned and operated business and the decline of Washington, Kansas.