HNTB named designer of Wichita Northwest Bypass

HNTB Corp. has been selected by the Kansas Department of Transportation to lead the development of preliminary design and right-of-way plans for a 5.5-mile center segment of the proposed Wichita Northwest Bypass. The project is a four-lane (with provisions for six lanes) bypass facility between U.S. 54 and K-96 and would alleviate through traffic in the city of Wichita.

KDOT wants to address future traffic congestion and preserve quality of life in Wichita as the city's previously rural areas expand to meet a pressing demand for more housing and schools. This transitional area covers many types of land use, including low- and medium-density residential, commercial, industrial parks, regional shopping malls and recreation entertainment areas.

HNTB's project will aid KDOT in protecting the transportation corridor from encroaching development. The firm's scope of work includes design criteria, interchange concepts, hydrology and hydraulic assessment, preliminary roadway design and right-of-way plans.

"KDOT is anxious to identify and preserve the corridor of the roadway immediately, because development in the Wichita area is growing westward at a very fast pace," said HNTB project manager Dale McGregor. "This project will ensure a right-of-way is preserved for transportation needs as the development continues."