Managing US-56

The US-56 Corridor is a diverse place. It includes stretches of rural and agricultural uses, major parks, and natural areas. Most corridor residents live in the communities of Baldwin City, Edgerton, and Gardner where there are local shopping opportunities, services, and such significant institutions as Baker University. Major existing and proposed industry is located in the east section of the corridor, as the area is well-served by interstates, rail and air. Because of an increased potential for economic development and sensitivity to the amount of traffic new development could cause in the area, the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) and its partners will be working together during the next 15-months on a corridor management plan for a 22-mile stretch of US-56. The corridor planning area spans from US-59 west of Baldwin City in Douglas County to I-35 on the northeast edge of the city of Gardner in Johnson County. The US-56 Corridor Management Plan will be the result. Managing US-56 will involve:

Building a foundation of facts
This is the data-gathering phase of the project.

Looking at improvement options to help forecast the future
This is the analysis phase of the project.

Formulating a fit for the corridor based on conceptual improvements. The US-56 Corridor Management Plan will be developed during this phase.

Since community concerns about US-56 may vary along the corridor, KDOT and partners will work with stakeholders like you, who represent a variety of different interest groups and geographic areas, to both create and manage great expectations. The focus of this corridor plan is to plan for the future, but we also need to be realistic and direct with you about what is possible.