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.

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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. JohnstonBoard 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.

Tim Schmidt

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, ChairmanMary 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-ChairmanRepresentative 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-TreasurerPaul 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, MemberDeb 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, MemberSenator 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.

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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 TurnpikeAuthority 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.

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Tim Schmidt

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/CEOMichael 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. BakaitisToll Operations Director

Eric J. BeckerMaintenance Director

Capt. Joe BottKHP Troop G Commander

Lisa C. CallahanPublic & Employee Relations

Director

Carl W. Compton, CPAChief Financial Officer

Diana DaunerExecutive Assistant

David E. Jacobson, P.E.Chief Engineer

Marty WiltseChief Information Officer

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.

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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

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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.

Dec. 26 Dec. 27 Dec. 28 Dec. 29 Dec. 30 Dec. 31

2011 Plaza 33 - Casino access2011 Plaza 33 - K-53 access2010 Plaza 33 - K-53 access

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Mulvane plaza usageduring the final week of 2011, 2010

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 at the Mulvane Interchange at Milepost 33.

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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.

Topeka Service Area restaurant salesby month in 2011, 2010

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.

$150,000

$200,000

$250,000

$300,000

$350,000

DecNovOctSeptAugJulJunMayAprMarFebJan

2011 2010

Construction began, 2011

Construction complete, 2011

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Above: During the kickoff of the 2011 season, Jennifer and Roger Weast are interviewed about the help they received from the Turnpike’sState Farm Safety Assist program.

Removed Roadway Debris

Welfare Check

Assisted outside agency

Mechanical Assistance

Customer Assistance

2011 State Farm Safety Assist snapshotby services provided

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. Safety Assist Technicians spent more than 2,000 hours on the road to aid stranded motorists during the summer’s record heat.

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During the Turnpike’s 2011 State Farm Safety Event, held at the Belle Plaine Service Area on Friday, May 27, the Kansas Highway Patrol demonstrated the importance of seatbelt usage in restrain-ing occupants during a rollover crash. Wichita’s KAKE News Channel 10 strapped a camera to the steering wheel of the simulator and shared it with the Turnpike to help further safety belt education.

Also participating in the 2011 safety event were Safe Kids, MADD and American Red Cross.

Buckle Up!

To view the KAKE News video of the inside of the KHP rollover simulator, scan the QR code with an app on your mobile device or visit KTA’s chan-nel at www.youtube.com/kansasturnpike. Other videos from the safety event, such as travelers participating in a sobriety test while wearing DUI goggles, are also available online.

KTA helped local and state law enforcement, as well as various state agencies, to promote seatbelt usage amongst teen drivers. The S.A.F.E. program — Seatbelts Are For Everyone — is based on three elements: Education, Incentive, and Enforcement. Seatbelt information is presented through school, and teens are asked to sign a pledge to wear their seatbelts. Students who sign a pledge card are entered into a prize drawing, sponsored by area busi-nesses and organizations, such as KTA. Enforcement is conducted by local and state law enforcement. In school districts participat-ing in the S.A.F.E. program, seatbelt usage is up and violations and injuries are down. There have also been surprising results: Not only are high school students buckling up, but they are also encouraging their parents and siblings to do so as well.

Above: State Farm representative Ramon Smith presents Technician Don Mosher with safety equipment for use in his vehicle during the 2011 season.

In March 2011, KTA launched a redesigned website with improved navigation to present con-tent more efficiently. Other features added to meet today’s customer expecta-tions are dynamic capabili-ties such as the Turnpike’s Twitter feed and real-time messages posted on the KTA’s eight DMS along I-70.

In late summer, KTA also launched a mobile site with simplified navigation and easy-to-load pages.

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Two side road bridges that cross the Turnpike were reconstruct-ed in 2011. These bridges, located along 206th Street at milepost 214 and 158th Street at milepost 220, are now built to current de-sign standards and were lengthened to accommodate the potential widening of mainline I-70/Turnpike. At least two side road bridges will be redecked in 2012.

Above: Digital Messaging Signs (DMS) announce the completion of two major projects along the Turnpike’s I-70 corridor.

The first phase of installing permanent digital messaging signs (DMS) along the Turnpike was completed in 2011. Eight signs were strategically placed along the I-70 corridor between Topeka and Eastern Terminal. The second phase will include the installation of 17 signs between the Oklahoma border and Topeka and is sched-uled to be completed in 2012.

On the night of June 12, 2011, teenagers Summer White and Michela Creel were returning from an equestrian event and came upon a traf-fic accident near the Mulvane interchange at Milepost 33. They took heroic action in an attempt to save the life of a passenger in one of the ve-hicles involved. During this, a subsequent accident occurred and White was seriously injured and the passenger they were trying to help was killed.

In an August ceremony, KHP Col. Ernest Garcia presented the young women with Honorary Trooper Awards for their actions. Mas-ter Trooper Dallas Gilmore, who worked the accident in June, also attended the awards ceremony.

Above: Summer White, Master Trooper Dallas Gilmore and Michela Creel. 11

In 2011, crews finished a two-phase project to replace the last of the original 1950s concrete pavement on the Turnpike’s section of I-70. This replacement project focused on Mileposts 204 to 211, with four of those miles completed in 2011. The project involved completely removing the roadway down to the dirt and, literally, starting from the ground up. During the second phase, safety en-hancements were also made to the Lawrence Service Area ramps at Milepost 209.

This project was located directly east of the Kansas River Bridges Replacement and Plaza Improvement Project, making the two projects appear as one in the eyes of the travelers. Located on the Turnpike’s busiest section of roadway, one-lane construction closures made rush hour traffic a challenge. To alleviate customer frustration, the KTA increased communication, provided on-site monitoring by engineering and maintenance personnel, and contracted with towing units to be on-site during peak travel times in a proactive effort to keep traffic flowing as smoothly as possible.

Signs were installed along the one-lane construction zone to remind customersthat the KTA was aware of congestion and that a smoother drive was coming.

The signs read:We’re sorry your trip isn’t faster paced. This pavement simply must be replaced.

We know that it’s a pain with only one lane.

We apologize for your delay. A smoother ride is on the way.

View or download the electronic version of this annual report and financial statement at www.ksturnpike.com/about/annual_report.12

WELLINGTON

WICHITA

EMPORIA

TOPEKALAWRENCE

KANSAS CITY

9,320

7,5017,744

9,471

11,90210,348

5,709

11,759

10,3555,731

7,5226,970

7,3256,790

6,4096,615

6,6686,931

6,499

6,322

3,284

3,263

6,327

6,138

6,389

6,218

6,548

6,3803,439

3,419

5,248

14,53914,795

14,701

14,30617,934

5,253

14,505

14,796

14,73614,26717,848

004

019

033

039

042

045050

053057

071

076

092

127

147

177

182183 197

236

202204

212

032

Average Daily Traffic

These numbers represent the average daily traffic passing by the designated sections of roadway, based on total traffic for 2011. For information on entry and exit traffic for specific locations, please see the Statistical Data beginning on page 28 of the Financial Report.

Kansas Turnpike Authority9401 E Kellogg

Wichita KS 67207

www.ksturnpike.com