3 March 2023
(Video Courtesy/Dawn Shoffner)
GEARY COUNTY (KSNT) – Work Crews used explosives this week to break up a hill to make way for highway construction in Geary County.
Ashley Perez with the Kansas Department of Transportation told KSNT 27 News about the event that took place Wednesday, March 1 near the intersection of Old Highway 18 and KS-177 around three miles south of I-70. She said Wildcat Construction used explosives to dislodge a section of a hill to widen the road.
Joe Palic, an engineer with KDOT, said using explosives is recommended as the rock is so solid that blasting it is the most economical and practical way to remove it. While not a commonly used method, it is used when necessary for construction projects.
The Flint Hills run from Marshall County in the north to Cowley County in the south into Oklahoma, according to the University of Kansas. The Flint Hills consist of limestone filled with numerous bands of flint.