The Hutchinson Reno County Chamber of Commerce is holding a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the beginning of the U-S Highway 50 project coming Monday August 22 at 10 a-m.

Kansas Department of Transportation Secretary Deb Miller will be on hand to make remarks, and an invitation has also been sent out to area government leaders from Hutchinson, South Hutch and Reno County.

Representatives from Dondlinger Construction who is the general contractor and sub-contractors are also expected to be in attendance, and the event will be followed by a reception at the Kansas Underground Salt Museum.

The plan is to continue the project from just west of K-61 east junction to just east of Airport Road. That includes making that section of the highway four-lanes with two diamond interchanges, one at the east junction of K-61, and the other at Airport-Yoder road. Also included with be the straightening of a sharp curve just west of the K-61 junction which has been the scene of so many accidents over the years.

This is phase two of the U-S 50 project which started with making the highway four-lane from the south edge of South Hutchinson and the area near the K-61 east junction.

Again that ribbon cutting coming up a week from Monday.