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2009-11-21

2009-11-18

2009-11-05

Agriculture

Lifestyles

Thursday, October 09, 2008 10:51 AM

Photo by Elliot J. Sutherland/The Ottawa Herald

Kenneth Jackson, owner of Jackson Welding, had to uproot his business on U.S. 59 north of Ottawa and relocate to 3332 Nebraska Road because of the new highway. Several area business owners have been affected by the new road.

Not everyone happy with U.S. 59 changes

By JODIE GARCIA, Herald Staff Writer

Kenneth Jackson isn’t thrilled about the new U.S. 59.

“I don’t believe they needed to do the fancy road they’re doing,” the owner of Jackson Welding said. “They could have added two more lanes to what they had, and it would have been sufficient.”

But perhaps more important — at least in Jackson’s case — than the type of highway was its location.

Through eminent domain proceedings, the Kansas Department of Transportation paid for and acquired Jackson’s land along U.S. 59 for its new highway project.

The new U.S. 59 expressway will be a four-lane highway stretching between Lawrence and I-35 just northeast of Ottawa.

Jackson Welding — which sells trailers, trailer parts and steel, and offers service work and repair — moved from north U.S. 59 to the northeast side of the I-35 and K-68 interchange.

Jackson said his shop was in Princeton for 11 years before moving to U.S. 59. The reason for the move, he said, was to secure a better location for his business.

During his 19 years on U.S. 59, Jackson said he got a lot of drive-by business in addition to his regular customers.

He said KDOT didn’t acquire all of his land on U.S. 59, and he seriously considered staying at that location, but he wouldn’t have had access for a year because of construction.

Jackson recognizes advantages of his present location.

“We do get more drive-by traffic here,” he said. “It will be a good location if the economy ever straightens out.”

However, “I’d rather be on the other location, myself.”

Herald staff writer Jodie Garcia can be e-mailed at jgarcia@ottawaherald.com.

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Not everyone happy with U.S. 59 changes

By JODIE GARCIA, Herald Staff Writer

E-mail this story to a friend | Print this article | Enjoy the convenience of home delivery of The Ottawa Herald.

E-mail this story to a friend | Print this article |
Enjoy the convenience of home delivery of The Ottawa Herald.