113 Road Reconstruction and 4-Lane Expansion, Ford County, Kansas

Located on the northeastern edge of Dodge City, 113 Road may look like an ordinary stretch of pavement. But for thousands of workers, emergency responders, freight operators, and residents, this corridor is a daily lifeline. Running from US-50 south toward US-400, the route connects neighborhoods in northern Dodge City with two major beef processing facilities on the city’s southeast side. These are employers that have expanded steadily over the past two decades and helped draw additional complementary industries to the area.

The one-mile segment between US-50 and Comanche Road showed the strain of increased heavy truck traffic. The aging asphalt pavement had outlived its usefulness, requiring frequent patching and cold-mix overlays to keep deterioration from accelerating. Meanwhile, traffic was already climbing, and with the arrival of a large cheese production facility south of Dodge City in 2024, pressure on the corridor was expected to grow even more. County leaders needed to take action on the failing pavement. They chose a longer-term solution: replace the failing asphalt with durable concrete and, while the road was closed for reconstruction, extend the four-lane section north to US-50. The expanded roadway would better handle future traffic volumes and improve access for emergency vehicles traveling from the Ford County Fire/EMS Center, located just north of Comanche Road. Before the new pavement was placed, the contractor installed concrete crossroad pipe culverts and prepared a solid foundation using geogrid and a compacted crushed-concrete base.

Ford County selected Kirkham Michael to provide design, bidding, and inspection services for the project. During design, Kirkham Michael assisted the county in preparing an application for the Kansas Department of Transportation Cost Share Program, securing a $1 million award for construction. The completed improvements now create a continuous four-lane corridor between E. Wyatt Earp and US-50, including a new left-turn lane for northbound traffic turning onto US-50. That added capacity improves traffic flow, reduces potential delays for emergency response, and supports the businesses that rely on 113 Road every day. More than a pavement replacement, the project strengthens a critical connection for Dodge City’s workforce, public safety network, and growing industrial economy, while giving motorists a smoother, safer ride for years to come.