Hillsboro has been awarded $627,400 for a highway project from Kansas Department of Transportation’s Geometric Improvement Program.

With the funding, the city will add acceleration and deceleration lanes on the eastbound side of U.S. 56 at the intersection with Adams Street, City Administrator Larry Paine said Tuesday. Currently traffic turning off or onto eastbound U.S. 56 at the intersection has to deal with 65 mph traffic behind them as they slow down or speed up.

Additionally, the intersection is where many USD 410 school buses turn off U.S. 56. Paine said the project should significantly reduce the chances of accidents at the intersection. The city completed work on Adams Street this summer.

KDOT’s funding portion for the project is about 90 percent, with a total project cost of almost $700,000.