Kansas
Storm shelters to be removed from Kansas Turnpike as KTA moves to cashless tolling
WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) – Along the 236 miles of the Kansas Turnpike are tornado shelters that can be found at most toll plazas.
However, as the Kansas Turnpike Authority moves towards cashless tolling starting in July 2024, a majority of those shelters will be going away.
“We will no longer have employees at those toll plaza areas, and the toll plazas will be completely reconfigured over the next 18 months,” said Rachel Bell, the Director of Business Services and Customer Relations at KTA.
While the shelters were intended to be used by the workers at the toll plazas, they also provided a safe option for commuters on the road caught in the middle of a storm.
“It is a pretty rare situation that those tornado shelters are used,” said Bell. “At a lot of our lower level toll plazas, we don’t have overnight employees. We don’t staff all shifts, so those tornado shelters are used maybe a couple times a year, if that.”
As the KTA will soon begin the process of closing and removing the storm shelters, since staff will no longer be stationed at the plazas, weather experts are reminding drivers what to keep in mind if they find themselves on the turnpike when a tornado warning is issued and shelters are not available. Vanessa Pearce, the Warning Coordination Meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said drivers need to know where they are at all times and how close they are to the nearest exit or service station.
“The biggest thing is to have a plan to avoid that situation, but obviously all situations can’t be avoided,” said Pearce. “If you see the storm ahead, is there an exit coming up that you’re able to get off to? Finding a sturdy shelter will be your best option.”
If commuters cannot reach an exit or shelter in time during severe weather, Pearce said people should get down to the lowest point like a ditch and to avoid overpasses.
“Don’t park under an overpass and think you’re going to get up under the girder,” said Pearce. “That’s going to provide protection, because the winds can travel through there and be stronger so it can be very dangerous.”
As for current and future safety options on the turnpike, the KTA told 12 News the storm shelters at the toll plazas will close in July, but the shelters at the six service areas along the roadway will remain available.
Copyright 2024 KWCH. All rights reserved. To report a correction or typo, please email news@kwch.com
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WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — The Kansas Department of Agriculture held a meeting on Thursday to discuss proposed rules regarding the Kansas Water Appropriation Act.
The Division of Water Resources is proposing new regulations and changes to current regulations under the law.
The division is looking at amending or revoking regulations related to flowmeters tracking water usage.
It is also proposing changes to groundwater usage rules on how far you can move a well from its original location to prevent harming the water rights of other landowners.
Another regulation would create voluntary Water Conservation Areas, where landowners work with the division to establish water conservation plans on their properties.
Some of the concerns raised at Thursday’s meeting dealt with property rights and the transfer of land to new owners. Some expressed concern about the sale of water rights to other landowners in the area.
There is no listed timeline for when the changes could be made.
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WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — A rural Kansas fire department says it saw yet another increase in calls in 2025.
On Tuesday, Butler County Fire District #3 posted data about last year on social media.
It responded to 782 alarms in 2025, which is a new record.
The majority of the calls were for rescue and emergency medical services, followed by service calls.
The department’s data show the number of calls has been trending upward over the last 20 years.
From 2006 to 2010, the department handled an an average of 550 calls a year. From 2021 through 2025, that average was 720, a 31% increase.
Officials said continued growth in the community has increased the demand for emergency services.
“These numbers reinforce the importance of ongoing training, staffing, equipment planning, and community support to ensure we can continue to provide timely and effective service,” the department said on Facebook.
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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Clay County Commissioner Jason Withington said Wednesday that he still loves baseball, but is “done” negotiating with the Royals on a new stadium for the team in the county.
According to Withington, Thursday, Jan. 8, was the deadline for the Royals to appear on the April 2026 ballot in the county.
Withington said the Royals told the county that they were not ready to meet that deadline.
Withington took to Facebook to explain that “the joy has been drained” out of him over the last few years and expressed his dislike towards the business of baseball.
He called negotiations with the team “a closed chapter” and said that the county is shifting its focus elsewhere.
“It’s time for the Commission to focus fully on priorities we control—either upgrading our existing county jail or building a new one,” Withington wrote.
The Royals’ lease at Kauffman Stadium in the Truman Sports Complex in Jackson County expires in January 2031.
KSHB 41’s political reporter Charlie Keegan reported in May 2025 on efforts by Missouri to keep both the Royals and Chiefs in Missouri.
While the Chiefs announced that they will move to a new stadium site in 2031 in Wyandotte County, the Royals have not announced their next steps to get a new ballpark built.
A stadium site near 119th Street and Nall Avenue in Overland Park has emerged as a possibility for a stadium site for the ball club.
Some residents in that area are not happy about that possibility.
KSHB 41 News reached out to the Royals for comment, but has not heard back.
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