Kansas Department of Transportation has made an agreement with engineering and consulting firm Trans System to assist in studying alternatives for the junction of U.S. 56 and 77 northeast of Marion.

David Greiser, public affairs manager for KDOT in North Central Kansas, said the department has been paying attention to the high crash rate at the intersection for quite a while.

Trans Systems will have to collect data about the intersection, such as number of oversized loads using the intersection and ratios of trucks to cars, before KDOT can make a decision about what the best solution is, Greiser said on Friday.

There is no timetable for a decision, but KDOT doesn’t want to string the process along indefinitely, Greiser said.