KDOT to receive funding for highway work

A $68 million project to add 17 miles of additional two-lane highway to U.S. Jason E. SIlvers/Tribune Photo Highway 69 between Fort Scott and Arma -- including this stretch near the junction of U.S. 69 and Kansas Highway 7 -- is part of $1.3 billion in state highway projects that Kansas Department of Transportation officials want to get underway within six months to a year of a federal economic stimulus bill. The U.S. 69 project is one of more than 30 projects that could be under contract within one year of the bill.

Kansas will receive an estimated $350 million under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The funds are to be used for highway construction projects that will create or sustain thousands of jobs and make important improvements to the state's transportation system.

Kansas is also expected to receive an estimated $27 million that will be spent on transit projects throughout the state, according to the Kansas Department of Transportation.

"We're reminded every day that the state and nation are falling deeper and deeper into recession," KDOT Secretary Deb Miller said. "As we get these important projects underway and jobs are created, all of those associated 'multiplier effects' can start moving through the state economy." Based on the Federal Highway Administration's method for determining job creation through funding for highway projects, economic stimulus spending in Kansas will generate between 10,000 and 11,000 jobs, according to KDOT.

KDOT planners working since last fall have built a pool of $1.3 billion in state projects -- including a $68 million project to add 17 miles of additional two-lane highway to U.S. Highway 69 between Fort Scott and Arma -- that can be ready to let to contract within the time frames prescribed in the federal bill. Half of the projects must be underway within 120 days after the money is appropriated to the state.

KDOT recommendations for projects will be based on input gathered during local consultation meetings in 2006 and 2008, and safety, economic and roadway condition factors, a KDOT statement said.

In addition to the projects on the state system, the recovery money will be shared with cities and counties according to the historical share applied to federal transportation funds the state receives.

"Our goal is to share about 20 percent of the money with local governments," Miller said. "For the state system, we want to be sure that we are able to construct a handful of substantial projects from the funding." The Kansas City and Wichita metropolitan planning organizations will be responsible for identifying projects for which they receive direct allocations. For other local jurisdictions, KDOT will issue a call for projects. After screening projects to ensure they meet federal program requirements, KDOT staff will select projects from the pool of submitted applications.

Priority for local requests will be given to new projects over those already scheduled for construction, Additional considerations will be made for safety, economic impact and transportation need, the KDOT statement said.

Earlier this month, KDOT officials began preparing the right-of-way on U.S. 69 from Fort Scott to Arma for an aerial survey in March. The survey is designed to give KDOT officials more information on U.S. 69, which is under consideration to be widened to four lanes between the two communities.

Fifty percent of the transit spending must be done in 180 days. The state's urban transit providers will receive about $15 million and rural providers will get about $12 million.

"While we have many more transportation needs in Kansas than the recovery package can fund, this legislation will provide a significant boost to our infrastructure and economy," Miller said. "Important, fundamental issues that have pushed the nation's transportation infrastructure to the breaking point remain to be addressed. But I am grateful we can move forward on many important projects." For more information, visit the Kansas Transportation Online Community at www.ktoc.net, or the KDOT Web site at www.ksdot.org.