На К-96 не продлили кабельный барьер после смертельного ДТП: объяснения KDOT

Cable Median Barriers: Why do they only cover part of K-96? The question comes after a recent deadly crash involving multiple vehicles WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) - A deadly crash Monday evening on K-96 involved four cars. Two were heading east, and two were heading west. The westbound vehicles crossed over the median into oncoming traffic. Cable medians line K-96 from I-135 until Rock Road, but they do not beyond Rock Road, or the location where the crash occurred. J.B. Wilson, public information officer for the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT), said the cable median barriers are designed to keep vehicles from crossing the median. “If a vehicle leaves it’s lane, the cable barriers help to contain it within the median,” Wilson said. He said the strip of cable medians have been on K-96 for around 15 years, having been installed in 2011, as a targeted safety improvement. KDOT looked at crash history traffic volumes, median width, and roadway geometry to decide where to install the cable. Wilson said that is why it does not extend further east. “There’s not a set number of crashes that would automatically result in an extension of a cable median barrier, those decisions are typically made through KDOT’s project development engineering process, and conditions along the corridor as they change,” Wilson said. - Related Content: KDOT planning K-96 improvement project, new type of interchange Currently, an extension of the cable median barrier is not a standalone project, but improvements to the Rock Road intersection will be made with the K-96 Improvement Project. “That has a number of upgrades at that interchange as well on K-96,” Wilson said. KDOT encourages Kansans to check KanDrive before leaving the house, to make sure you’re driving as safe and aware as possible. Copyright 2026 KWCH. All rights reserved. To report a correction or typo, please email [email protected]