Kaylie McLaughin
Motorist take detours west of U.S 24 and K-113 junction due to construction. A roundabout is planned to be added to the highway.
Luxe Manhattan Hair and Company has served the community off U.S. 24 for over five years. With the closure of the junction between K-113 and K-13, some customers struggle arriving at their hair appointments on time, unsure of the detours to use in order to make a timely arrival.
Predicted to last till December, construction of a new roundabout on U.S. 24 between the two junctions “will be closed to through traffic,” with local access to properties in the closed areas, such as Luxe Manhattan, accessible from the west at the U.S. 24/K-113 junction. That access point, however, will switch this summer to the east, according to the Kansas Department of Transportation.
What’s being called a “shoo-fly” detour under construction at the west junction can be used freely to “carry traffic around the work area,” with advised speeds of 15 mph.
Sherri Fabre, a hair stylist at Luxe Manhattan, said she’s not optimistic about the construction being complete in December.
“There’s not really very clear signage over on the Seth Child side that indicates it’s closed until you really get up there,” Fabre said. “I hope it gets done sooner than they say. … I think since they redid the intersection last time, widening the lanes, adding turning lanes, that was great. So I don’t know how much a roundabout is going to improve that, but we’ll see.”
During the closure, KDOT advises motorists to utilize detours on signed routes such as K-113, K-18 and U.S. 24. Commuters can also use alternate routes that are not marked.
Some Manhattan business owners, like Chris Darrah, are optimistic about the new roundabout construction.
“Here they’re going to be slowing down, they’re already going to be turning right in front of us,” Darrah, owner of Dara’s Fast Lane, said. “So, I think traffic will be tremendous, and we’ve heard a lot about this intersection, the accidents, the dangers of crossing it. There are a lot of people already saying they are happy it’s happening.”
KDOT encourages motorists to not only stay alert, but also to follow signage in all work zones.