KDOT awards $8.5 million in Transportation Alternatives projects
(Story courtesy of the Kansas Department of Transportation)
TOPEKA, Kan. — The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) has selected 23 projects for inclusion in its Transportation Alternatives (TA) Program for Federal Fiscal Year 2020.
Eligible projects under this federal program include facilities for pedestrians and bicycles; scenic or historical highway programs; landscaping and scenic beautification; historic preservation of transportation facilities; conversion of abandoned railway corridors to trails; control or removal of outdoor advertising; archaeological planning and research related to transportation; and the Safe Routes to School program.
KDOT received 46 applications from eligible project sponsors requesting nearly $36.9 million in federal funds. Cities and counties across the state submitted applications for the TA program, which were received during an open application period from June 14, 2018, to Sept. 10, 2018.
“We were happy to see so many quality applications from across the state this year. This proves how popular the TA program is and how important these types of projects are to Kansas communities,” said Matt Messina, Coordinator of the Transportation Alternatives Program for KDOT. “The main goals of the TA program are to help provide communities with more transportation options and to preserve or improve what they already have, and that’s what these projects will do.”
KDOT reviews and evaluates every application and makes selections based on criteria developed using input from various internal departments and external partners, such as safety and network improvements, cost estimates, project readiness, public support and other factors such as geography and funding distribution. All project sponsors are required to provide at least 20 percent of the cost as a local cash match and are 100 percent responsible for non-participating items.
- A full list of TA projects that are selected to receive an award is shown in the table below:
| Applicant | Project | TA Funds Awarded |
| Marysville | Broadway Street and Railbed | $ 91,626 |
| Baldwin City | Ped-Bike Connectivity Project | $ 580,180 |
| Eudora | Bluejacket Trail: Phase 2 | $ 283,824 |
| Lawrence | Lawrence Loop | $ 480,000 |
| Osage City | Flint Hills Trail (thru the city) | $ 1,000,000 |
| TMTA | Bikeshare Expansion | $ 49,522 |
| Council Grove | Riverwalk trail north Extension | $ 421,029 |
| Salina | Smoky Hill River Renewal | $ 167,514 |
| Ellsworth | Stormwater Management | $ 517,960 |
| Beloit | SRTS Phase 2 c | $ 372,312 |
| Council Grove | SRTS Phase 1 | $ 12,000 |
| Strong City | Strong City SRTS | $ 12,000 |
| Russell | U.S. 281 Hwy Sidewalk | $ 248,000 |
| Girard | Western Ave. Pedestrian Facility | $ 208,765 |
| Ottawa | K-68/Main Street Multimodal | $ 351,450 |
| Pittsburg | Memorial Drive Trail Project | $ 88,000 |
| Pleasanton | Pedestrian Trails Plan | $ 320,720 |
| Arkansas City | Hike-bike trail extension | $ 840,091 |
| Minneola | Accessible Walkways | $ 275,989 |
| Scott City | Santa Fe Street Rail Trail | $ 315,000 |
| Garden City | 8th Street Cultural District | $ 750,000 |
| Ulysses | City of Ulysses SRTS Phase 1 | $ 12,000 |
| KDWPT | FHT: 17th St to Lewelling Rd. | $ 1,080,762 |
| 23 projects | $ 8,478,744 |
