Closed portion of U.S. 281 reopened in Russell County

A portion of U.S. 281 in Russell County has been reopened to traffic as of Wednesday, Sept 18.

The 11-mile section between Land Road and the west K-18 junction has been closed since March for a Kansas Department of Transportation project to reconstruct the roadway into a 30-foot paved surface with 3-foot turf shoulders.

Construction crews will remain in the area to complete the final work and cleanup. Motorists are reminded to buckle up, follow the speed limits, and stay alert while driving.

The $36 million project is the final part of the delayed T-WORKS project to rehabilitate and reconstruct the U.S. 281 corridor between Russell and K-18. Reconstruction of the initial 4 miles from Russell to Land Road was completed in late 2021.