With tornado season upon us, the Kansas State Highway Turnpike Authority wants to remind drivers of the 30 tornado shelters located along the Kansas Turnpike.
Underneath the tollbooths and the Turnpike Plaza are concrete tunnels that serve as storm shelters and provide heat and electricity to the tollbooths.
“If we were evacuating people from their vehicles or the toll collectors from the plaza, we’re probably seeing the tornado, or it’s not too far from here,” Gruber told KMBC 9 News.
If the weather looks threatening, the highway patrol advises you have a plan in mind for shelter– plan ahead, you know your route, make yourself aware of the areas that offer shelter.
“You definitely want to have a plan during this time of the year,” Gruber said.
It is most important to remember — do not try to outrun the storm, and if you’re too far away from a designated shelter area, don’t try to race the storm. Tornados can shift direction without a moment’s notice. Get out of your vehicle and head for a ditch or the lowest point to the ground.
Below is a list of the Kansas Turnpike shelter locations:
Find a storm shelter on the Kansas Turnpike by location:
| Southern Terminal | Basement of toll building | MM 16.5 |
| Wellington | Underground | MM 19 |
| Belle Plaine Service Area | EZ GO Storage room | MM 26 |
| Mulvane (K-53) | Underground, West of tollbooth | MM 33 |
| Mulvane (Casino) | Basement of toll building | MM 33 |
| Haysville/Derby | Underground, East of tollbooth | MM 39 |
| South Wichita | Underground, West of tollbooths | MM 42 |
| K-15 | Underground, West of Tollbooth | MM 45 |
| East Wichita | Basement of toll office | MM 50 |
| K-96 | Underground, East of tollbooth | MM 53 |
| Andover | Underground, East of tollbooth | MM 57 |
| Towanda Service Area | Large restroom | MM 65 |
| El Dorado | Underground, South of toll building | MM 71 |
| North El Dorado | Underground, South of tollbooth | MM 76 |
| Cassoday | Underground, Northeast of tollbooth | MM 92 |
| Matfield Green Service Area | Large restroom | MM 97 |
| Emporia | Basement of toll building | MM 127 |
| Emporia Service Area | EZ GO restrooms | MM 132 |
| Admire | Underground, Northeast of tollbooth | MM 147 |
| South Topeka | Above ground, behind toll building | MM 177 |
| Plaza 182, K-4 | Underground, South of tollbooth | MM 182 |
| East Topeka | Basement of toll building | MM 183 |
| Topeka Service Area | Basement | MM 188 |
| North Lecompton | Underground, South of tollbooth | MM 197 |
| South Lecompton | Underground, North of tollbooth | MM 197 |
| West Lawrence | Basement of toll building | MM 202 |
| East Lawrence | Restricted access to tunnel | MM 204 |
| Lawrence Service Area | EZ GO storage room | MM 209 |
| Tonganoxie/Eudora | NONE | MM 212 |
| Eastern Terminal | Basement of toll building | MM 217 |
You can also click here to view a map of the storm shelters on the Kansas Turnpike.