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
For the first time since the 2022 AFC playoffs, the Kansas City Chiefs will square off against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Kansas City has a three-game winning streak over Pittsburgh, which includes the aforementioned contest in the Wild Card round of the postseason. This year, both teams have already clinched playoff berths but still have something to play for. The Chiefs, specifically, can get the best Christmas present of all by winning and locking up the one-seed and a first-round bye. A win makes them unreachable to the Buffalo Bills. The Steelers, on the other hand, are looking to maintain their division lead. They hold a conference tiebreaker over the surging Baltimore Ravens but are far from certain to keep that.
Here’s everything you need to know and how you can follow along with the Chiefs as they square off against the Steelers on Wednesday.
Game: Chiefs vs. Steelers
Location: Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Date and Time: Wednesday, December 25 at 12:00 p.m. CT
TV Channel: Netflix or KCTV local
Listen Live: WDAF (106.5 FM) Chiefs Radio Network or Tico Sports (Kansas City) for Spanish radio broadcast
Betting Line: Chiefs -3 (as of Wednesday morning)
This contest’s television broadcast team is highlighted by Ian Eagle (play-by-play) and both J.J. Watt and Nate Burleson (color) in the commentary booth. Melanie Collins and Stacey Dales will serve as the sideline reporters for Week 17’s matchup.
For updates throughout the game and after the action has concluded, including plenty of postgame content, keep it locked in right here at Kansas City Chiefs On SI and follow us on X @ChiefsOnSI, Bluesky @chiefsonsi.com and Facebook at Chiefs Nation for additional coverage, commentary and more.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
Read More: Steve Spagnuolo Assesses Christian Roland-Wallace’s Performance in Starting Debut
WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) – After three full days of searching on land and in area waters, the search for 80-year-old Gary Foster has been put on hold.
The Reno County Sheriff’s Office said Foster’s family decided to postpone the search until after the holidays, when efforts will resume as a recovery mission.
Over the last 72 hours, crews launched a large-scale effort involving over 200 people combing a five-mile radius around where he was last seen. The Kansas Highway Patrol searched the area via aircraft, and Saline County provided a water rescue team and sonar to scan nearby ponds.
The Silver Alert for Foster remains in effect.
Copyright 2024 KWCH. All rights reserved. To report a correction or typo, please email news@kwch.com
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