TOPEKA, KS – Governor Laura Kelly announced today that 11 rural roadway projects across Kansas will receive a significant boost in safety funding. A total of $8.1 million in federal funds has been allocated through the Kansas Department of Transportation’s (KDOT) High Risk Rural Roads (HRRR) Program.
This investment, made possible through the IKE Transportation Program, will address critical upgrades to rural roadways, including projects in Osborne and Trego counties.
“These projects address much needed upgrades of rural roadways,” Governor Kelly stated. “By improving intersections, signage, and other critical roadway features, we are building momentum for a safer, stronger Kansas.”
The HRRR program is federally funded through the Highway Safety Improvement Program and aims to enhance the safety and efficiency of rural roads. An additional $1.6 million in local funds will supplement the federal grants for the selected projects. This year, KDOT chose these 11 projects from a pool of 29 applications totaling $29.9 million in funding requests.
Transportation Secretary Calvin Reed emphasized the importance of these initiatives, noting that “with over 20% of fatal and serious injury crashes occurring on county roads, strong partnerships will be necessary to achieve the goal of zero roadway fatalities. KDOT’s collaboration with local governments through programs like HRRR benefits our communities and strengthens connections across the state.”
The selected projects fall into two categories: Systemic, which addresses improvements across a local roadway network, and Site Specific, which targets particular locations.
The following projects in Osborne and Trego counties have been awarded funding:
- Osborne County: Systemic; $600,000; N/A; Funds will be used to upgrade signing on 160 miles of county roads west of U.S. 281.
- Trego County: Systemic; $500,000; N/A; The funding will support the upgrade of signing on all rural local roads within the county.
These investments represent a significant step towards improving safety and connectivity on rural roadways throughout Kansas.
