Kansas Turnpike Authority 2011 Annual Report On the cover This word cloud was made on Tagul.com with words from the KTA chief engineer’s letter in the annual inspection re- port. The larger the word, the more frequently it was used in the copy of the report. Word clouds are used to visually convey the importance of specific thoughts or topics in a block of text or document. Tim Schmidt A message from Turnpike leadership During the past 20 years, the Kansas Turnpike Authority has invested more than $400 million in improvements. From service area recon- struction to roadway widening to the most recent bridge replacement, the past two decades have been busy — and 2011 was no exception. This past year, the KTA completed its largest project since the origi- nal construction of the roadway more than 50 years ago. The Kansas River Bridges Replacement and Plaza Improvement Project was com- pleted on time and within budget. Also completed was the project to replace the last original section of 1950s roadway along I-70/Turnpike. As we move into 2012, the focus shifts from major improvements to system preservation. As with all infrastructure, there will be a need for sustained investment to continue to provide the high quality roadway Turnpike customers expect. Sincerely, Mary E. Turkington Michael L. Johnston Board Chairman President/CEO Above: KTA President/CEO Michael L. Johnston, left, with Authority Board mem- bers then-KDOT Secretary Deb Miller; Paul V. Dugan, Sr.; Mary E. Turkington, Chairman; Sen. Dwayne Umbarger; and Rep. Gary K. Hayzlett, Vice-Chairman. 1 KTA Board of Directors The KTA acts through a five-member board of directors, one of which is elected chairman. Two members are each appointed by the governor for four-year terms; two members serve by reason of their legislative positions — one is chairman of the Senate Transporta- tion and Utilities Committee and the other is a member of the House Transportation Committee; and the fifth member is the secretary of the Kansas Department of Transportation. The latter three serve as Authority members for the duration of their state terms. Mary E. Turkington, Chairman Mary E. Turkington, chairman, is serving a fourth four-year term on the Authority Board. Turkington is retired as executive director of the Kansas Motor Carriers Association, where she represented the highway transportation industry before the Kansas Legislature. She continues to be active in various other aspects of highway safety and transportation. Rep. Gary K. Hayzlett, Vice-Chairman Representative Gary K. Hayzlett serves as vice-chairman of the Authority. He was appointed chairman of the House Transportation Committee in 1997. He has served in the Legislature since 1990. He is a businessman in Lakin, and he and his wife, Helen, have three children and six grandchildren. Paul V. Dugan, Sr., Secretary-Treasurer Paul Dugan, Sr., is serving his second four-year term on the Authority Board. He was elected secretary-treasurer of the board in 2009. He was Lieutenant Governor under Governor Carlin from 1979 to 1983 and has practiced law in Wichita since 1964. Dugan is a former mem- ber of the Kansas House of Representatives and former Chairman of the board of Kansas Newman University. KDOT Secretary Deb Miller, Member Deb Miller was reappointed by Governor Sam Brownback in December 2010, making her the longest-serving Kansas Department of Trans- portation secretary in Kansas history. Over the past nine years she managed both implementation of the Comprehensive Transportation Program and the effort that led to passage of the innovative follow-up program T-WORKS. At the end of December, Miller left KDOT to work in the private sector. Sen. Dwayne Umbarger, Member Senator Dwayne Umbarger joined the Authority Board in January 2009 when he became the chairman of the Senate Committee on Trans- portation. He has been a member of the Kansas Senate since 1996. Umbarger and his wife, Toni, are the owners of the Dwayne and Toni Umbarger Farm in Thayer. They have four children. 2 Management Team Kansas Turnpike Authority employees are charged with maintain- ing and improving the roadway and its function as a vital corridor to move people and goods in Kansas. These employees are led by President/CEO Michael L. Johnston and his team of eight executive managers. Michael Johnston, President/CEO Michael L. Johnston joined the KTA at the start of 1995. Prior to this position, he served the state of Kansas as the secretary of the Department of Transportation from 1991 through 1994. He is a former state senator and served 14 years in the Kansas Legislature. He also served as a member and chairman of the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System, as well as numerous boards and commissions. Alan D. Bakaitis Carl W. Compton, CPA Toll Operations Director Chief Financial Officer Eric J. Becker Diana Dauner Maintenance Director Executive Assistant Capt. Joe Bott David E. Jacobson, P.E. KHP Troop G Commander Chief Engineer Lisa C. Callahan Marty Wiltse Public & Employee Relations Chief Information Officer Director Honorary IBTTA Member Mary Turkington received the distinction of Honorary Member from the International Bridge, Tunnel & Turnpike Association in July 2011. This prestigious award is given to members who have made an “outstanding contribution” to IBTTA and the transportation industry. Mary has been chairman of the Kansas Turnpike Authority since October 2000, has been known as the “First Lady of Kansas Trucking” for her work with Kansas Motor Carriers Association, and is a founding member of the Kansas Economic Lifelines organizations, of which she has been co-chair for more than a decade. Tim Schmidt 3 The Future Has Arrived To view the Kansas River Bridges replacement project highlight video, scan the QR code with an app on your mobile device or visit KTA’s channel at www.youtube.com/kansasturnpike. 4 Over the past 20 years, more than $400 million in capital improve- ment projects were completed on the Kansas Turnpike. These projects included infrastructure, technology and toll collection enhancements. The largest infrastructure project completed in 2011 was the Kansas River Bridges replacement and plaza improvements near Lawrence. It was finished on time and within budget. Total cost reached approximately $130 million. The entire project consisted of two new 2,300-foot bridges built to current construction specifications across the Kansas River. Safety enhancements included wider shoulders on the bridges, realigned approach ramps, acceleration lanes to and from the plazas, and roundabouts to help prevent 90-degree collisions. A reconstructed toll plaza in East Lawrence includes an additional entry and exit lane. Plaza 204 was closed to traffic for several months in 2010 for construction of a new plaza at that location. Left and Above: The finished I-70/Turnpike bridges over the Kansas River through Lawrence accommodate three lanes of travel in each direction. The project to replace the bridges and improve access in the area cost nearly what the entire roadway did in the mid-1950s. 5 In June, Peninsula Gaming began construction of a new toll plaza and modifications to the existing Mulvane interchange at Milepost 33 on the Turnpike’s segment of I-35. This interchange allows access for the new Kansas Star Casino in Sumner County, which officially opened on Dec. 26. The new toll plaza has one dedicated K-TAG exit lane, three K-TAG/Cash exit lanes, one K-TAG/Cash entry lane and one dedicated K-TAG entry lane. When the plaza opened, toll collectors were ready not only to accept payments for tolls but also to sell K-TAGs to customers directly in the exit lanes. Mulvane plaza usage during the final week of 2011, 2010 6000 5000 4000 3000 Entry/Exit vehicles 2000 1000 0 Dec. 26 Dec. 27 Dec. 28 Dec. 29 Dec. 30 Dec. 31 2011 Plaza 33 - Casino access 2011 Plaza 33 - K-53 access 2010 Plaza 33 - K-53 access The new interchange configuration consists of dual roundabouts to allow free-flow travel to and from both toll plazas. Because Kansas drivers are still fairly unfamiliar with round- abouts, the KTA added animation to its website to help travelers under- stand the interchange navigation. Above: Two roundabouts allow travel between the Turnpike and two toll plazas 6 at the Mulvane Interchange at Milepost 33. Topeka Service Area restaurant sales by month in 2011, 2010 $350,000 Construction complete, 2011 Construction began, 2011 $300,000 $250,000 $200,000 $150,000 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec 2011 2010 Rising Stars, the Topeka Service Area restaurant opera- tor, renovated the restaurant area and restrooms at that location during the summer of 2011. Joining Hardee’s to serve travelers are new brands Pizza Hut, Dunkin’ Donuts and Taco Bell. Customer response has been positive and the remodel has dramatically increased restaurant sales — and KTA rental income — at this location. KTA crews installed Self-Pay machines in existing toll plaza exit lanes at El Dorado North at milepost 76 and Wellington at milepost 19, in addition to the new casino toll plaza at the Mulvane inter- change. Self-Pay capabilities are now available at 13 interchanges, which are monitored around-the-clock by technicians in Wichita. Over the past four years, KTA has been preparing for reduced staffing levels through attrition. By planning ahead in this manner, layoffs have been avoided while savings have still been recognized. It is estimated that these machines will reduce operating costs by approximately $1.5 million annually. 7 2011 State Farm Safety Assist snapshot by services provided Customer Assistance Mechanical Assistance Removed Roadway Debris Welfare Check Assisted outside agency The Turnpike’s State Farm Safety Assist program returned for a second season, operating between Memorial Day and Labor Day on the road’s busiest two sections — I-70 between Topeka and Kansas City, and I-35 between Wichita and the Oklahoma border.