Kansas to invest $776m in highway improvement projects

The state government of Kansas is set to invest more than $776m in 24 highway expansion and modernisation projects.

The investment is part of Kansas Governor Laura Kelly’s bipartisan transportation plan.

Governor Kelly said: “Expanding and modernising our highways will enhance accessibility and road safety to recruit new businesses and families to every Kansas community.

“Since day one, we’ve honoured our commitment to ending the practice of using infrastructure dollars for projects they were never meant for, instead using these dollars to fix our roads, bridges and expand broadband access.

“These 24 projects are further proof that good stewardship of these funds is benefitting our communities, taxpayers and businesses.”

The projects include a $300m expansion of the US Highway 69 and a $234m investment in I-70 Shawnee County to expand a six-lane highway.

Around $86m has been allocated for the reconstruction of an interchange in I-235 Sedgwick County.

The state’s rural areas are also set to benefit under the bipartisan transportation plan. Around 20 of the projects will focus on adding or extending more than 26 miles of passing lanes on various highways.

The plan also includes rehabilitating and adding shoulders on more than 40 miles of highway, as well as widening or adding shoulders to more than 22 miles on sections of K-7.

Since 2019, the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) team has been working with community leaders to identify regional transportation priorities and determine cost-effective ways to deliver them.

KDOT Secretary Julie Lorenz said: “Announcing this first round of projects for construction as part of the Kelly Administration’s transportation plan is the next step in KDOT’s commitment to invest in our state.

“These state-wide improvements support communities and help meet current and future transportation needs.”