County approves $500 fine for commercial trucks taking gravel roads instead of Kansas DOT detour

Officials in Hodgeman County, Kansas, are cracking down on truck drivers who take unapproved routes instead of the Kansas Department of Transportation’s (KDOT) designed detour.

In a resolution passed on Monday, May 11, 2026, the Hodgeman County Board of Commissioners established a $500 fine for commercial trucks ignoring posted signage and taking county gravel roads to avoid the posted KDOT detour around the closure of K-156.

The “No Commercial Traffic Without Local Designation” resolution will involve the installation of “no trucks” signage along several roadways including 214 Road, but the county officials say it will apply to “all other county roads, even though not posted.”

The K-156 closure was scheduled from April 6 through July 3 to allow for shoulder widening. KDOT’s signed detour uses U.S. 50, U.S. 400, U.S. 283 and K-23.

Since that closure began, accidents have occurred on 214 Road and other rural roadways.

Notably, on May 6, a cattle truck overturned on 214 Road, leading to livestock “running everywhere.”

“We are on the scene of a semi rollover on 214 Road between O Road and K-156 … the same area I was warning people to stay off of the other day,” said the Hodgeman County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO)

On April 30, HCSO reported a traffic backup in the same area caused by stuck trucks.

“Just letting everyone know that is going through the road construction and attempting to take back roads K-156 and 214 Road to O Road is completely blocked by semis that ignored the detour. If you are local traffic find a different route. These trucks may be setting a while,” HCSO said.

In order to enforce the new resolution, HCSO will be patrolling the area and handing out $500 citations “without giving warning tickets to commercial truck traffic offenders” after a two week period of publication of the new rule.

“This resolution is in reference to big truck traffic on our county roads in the construction zone area. Some will not like this resolution at all but our number one goal is the safety of people on county roads. We have had a lot of close calls and we aren’t even close to the project being completed,” HCSO said after the rule was passed on Monday.

Hodgeman County officials note that the gravel roads were not constructed to carry heavy truck traffic. The ordinance was passed to “protect public health, damage to residents’ vehicles, and damage to the integrity of county roads.”

You can view the resolution below.