A joint venture between two Wichita, Kansas-based general contractors recently won the largest construction contract in Kansas DOT history.
The Kansas DOT awarded a $287.97 million contract for the reconstruction of U.S. 54 and K-96 in Sedgwick and Butler counties, according to a state news release. The award is the largest project Kansas DOT has allocated to construction in terms of dollar amount, according to the release.
“This project represents a continued investment in the Kellogg corridor,” Nick Squires, Kansas DOT District Five engineer, said in the release. “Expanding U.S. 54 to six lanes and adding modern interchanges will improve traffic flow and support long-term mobility in the region.”
Kansas DOT awarded the contract to Dondlinger Wildcat EKC1, a joint venture between Wichita, Kansas-based general contractors Dodlinger & Sons Construction and Wildcat Construction. The pair of contractors have teamed up in the past on other projects, including the biological nutrient removal improvements project at the wastewater treatment plant in Wichita, according to a Dodlinger LinkedIn post.
The award covers the reconstruction and expansion of about two miles of U.S. 54 to a six-lane corridor. The Dodlinger Wildcat EKC1 JV will then reconstruct about one mile of K-96 north of U.S. 54, according to the release.
The project’s scope also includes a total of 26 bridge replacements, including the U.S. 54 interchanges at K-96, 143rd and 159th streets. Plans also call for 32 new retaining walls and several two-lane frontage roads to help support local business access, according to the Kansas DOT.
The project forms part of Kansas DOT’s Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Program, a 10-year, $10 billion program to update Kansas’ transportation system. The Dodlinger Wildcat EKC1 JV expects to begin construction in spring 2026.
