HUTCHINSON, Kan. — There were some area residents and business people before the Reno County Commission Tuesday morning upset with the way the alignment of the new portion of K-14 / K-96 will be laid out which is proposed to be built from northwest of Hutchinson to north of Sterling where it would connect with existing road. Those residents want at grade crossings along the highway.

But, K-DOT officials say after spending 3-million dollars coming up with the plan, they still believe the best way to go is to go with a freeway concept as opposed to an expressway. They explained that it will be a much safer roadway considering that traffic will be heavier once the highway is complete and expect speeds will increase. They say based of statewide data, at grade crossings make state roads more dangerous and have more serious and fatal accidents.

The section of new highway once complete will be like the current Bob Dole bypass around the west side of Hutchinson and South Hutchinson. It will also start off as a super two freeway.

Although sympathetic to the those who spoke at the meeting, all three county commissioners agreed that to much has already been spent to get to the point of where K-DOT officials are now. They believe the project should move forward and don’t want to get in the way of that.

Officials say they are now in the process of acquiring land for the highway.