Turner Diagonal Project Named National Finalist for America's Transportation Award

TOPEKA, KS — The Kansas Department of Transportation's (KDOT) Turner Diagonal project in Wyandotte County has been named a Top 12 finalist in the 2021 America's Transportation Awards (ATA) competition.

The finalists — whittled down from 80 nominees from 35 state DOTs — compete for the ATA Grand Prize and for the People's Choice Award. Both prizes come with a $10,000 cash award for a charity or transportation-related scholarship of the winners' choosing.

The $30.3-million Turner Diagonal project in Kansas City reconfigured the interchange on I-70, allowing the release of nearly 50 acres of right-of-way and opened 300 acres of land for economic development and job creation. Using alternative delivery methods, the project was completed ahead of schedule, opening in less than a year from ground-breaking.

“From the start, the Turner Diagonal project embodied so much of our new IKE transportation program, building on the foundational elements of partnerships, options, and problem solving,” said Secretary Julie Lorenz. “With this project, we have delivered with public sector principles and private sector urgency.”

The Turner Diagonal project made use of public funds from the Unified Government of Wyandotte County, KDOT, and a USDOT Build grant, as well as private-sector support. The Kansas Turnpike Authority donated right of way. Completing the project 20 months faster than traditional delivery months helped create 2,000 new jobs at Turner Logistics Park. Truck staging areas improved truck travel times in the area. Pedestrian paths and sidewalks provided a more sustainable, usable community asset.