For those coming this way...
I-70 construction -- mostly done except for one 9-mile stretch just west of
Topeka. It's posted 60 mph and usually moves along about that speed. Also
the first sign you see says 8 miles, but it's 9, and the last sign you see
says 2 miles left and the end is just over the next hill. :-) For some
incomprehensible reason, the last three times (Mid-July, early August, last
weekend) we went there on Friday night, there was this huge traffic jam
westbound right where the construction zone began, but it was no problem
eastbound. It was also no problem Sunday westbound when we went home. The
moral, I guess, is if you are leaving Friday afternoon that might not be the
best choice but any other time it is fine (go to the banquet!).
US-81 construction (York, Neb., to Salina, Ks.) -- Still going on in
northern Kansas north of Belleville, but the traffic there is light enough
it's not a big deal. I've been up and down it a couple times recently with
no problem. IMHO still better than US-75 from Lincoln because there's more
70 mph 4-lane and fewer towns to drive through.
The new quick way to the event site -- US-75 south of Topeka, NOT Topeka
Blvd. Not sure how you get there coming from the north on US-75 (gee, think
following the US-75 signs would do it? :-) But I have not driven that so
what I don't know is if that is interstate or streets). From the west on
I-70 you take the I-470 cutoff and exit that at Exit 5 (Exit 6 is the Last
Free Exit and puts you on Topeka Blvd.). Exit 5 puts you on the
just-completed US-75 section, which is limited access divided 4-lane. Take
the second exit (77th Street) then left at the stop sign. The traffic light
is Topeka Blvd. Straight puts you onto Gary Ormsby Drive (the access to the
race track), and the first left AFTER crossing Topeka Blvd. is J Street
into Forbes Field, which goes right to the event site/registration.
Ignore the first exit on the new US-75 which has signs directing you to
Forbes -- they were there before the 77th Street exit was built. The first
exit takes you right into Pauline, and then you still have to go south on
Topeka Blvd. to get to Forbes.
Coming from the south or east on the Kansas Turnpike, I suppose when you get
off at the South Topeka exit you could take I-470 up to Exit 5 and then go
south, or else just trundle through South Topeka Blvd. traffic. Your choice.
--Rocky Entriken
----- Original Message -----
From: <Sup4speed@aol.com>
To: <autox@autox.team.net>
Sent: Monday, September 02, 2002 3:35 AM
Subject: route from North Platte to Topeka ??
> Would anyone have suggestions on the best route to Topeka from North
Platte,
> Nebraska ?? I'm thinking 80E to 183 south till I get to I70 in Kansas,
then
> onto Topeka. Would going farther east on I80 then south on 81 all the way
to
> Salina be any faster/easier ? Any reports of major road work on either of
> those routes ?? Is all that work on I70 in Kansas all finished ?
>
> Thanks for any help/suggestions !
>
> Don Lew
> DSP #79
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