A year after a seven-mile highway replacement project began on U.S. 169 between Iola and Chanute, motorists can drive a few miles on fresh, smooth pavement.
The potholes and cracks, so common and frustrating to drivers for years, are gone. But as drivers travel along the new surface, most are unaware of what lies underneath the concrete ? and how important that material will be in keeping the road in good condition for years to come.
The history of that stretch of U.S. 169 goes back decades and is fraught with frustration, planning, negotiation and compromise.
