The Barton County Commission approved a Project Programming Request Monday morning to make more safety improvements to the intersection of North Washington Avenue and Northeast 30 Road, often referred to as JuCo Road.

In the middle of February, Barton County Engineer Barry McManaman found out the county was approved for High Risk Rural Road funding from the Kansas Department of Transportation. The funding will help improve the safety of the intersection that took the life an Olmitz teenager in an accident last April.

Barry McManaman Audio

KDOT will cover 90 percent of the costs of design, construction, and inspection using Federal funds, up to a maximum of $295,000.

Commissioner Jennifer Schartz felt it was a good idea to add more awareness to the intersection with citizens still feeling more needs to be done to the intersection.

Barry McManaman Audio

The majority of the funding will be used to widen a concrete drainage box on Northwest 50 Road. McManaman mentioned possible improvements to the JuCo Road intersection could include LED stop signs, overhead lighting, widening or replacing rumble strips, and radar speed displays.

The funds are for Federal Fiscal Year 2021, so if could be a couple of years before the projects get started.