Gov. Laura Kelly announced new infrastructure programs for local communities on Thursday.
More than $84.6 million in highway funding that the Kansas Department of Transportation received from the federal Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 will be used in each county throughout Kansas, according to the announcement.
“The Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Act funding allows us to make smart investments in a wide range of infrastructure programs and services across the state – leaving no Kansas county behind,” Gov. Kelly said. “These dollars will not only support necessary infrastructure repairs in our communities, but will also play a key role in our recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic by creating jobs and promoting economic growth. My administration is committed to making sound, forward-thinking decisions that ensure continued, wise investment in those things that grow our economy and make Kansas a great place to live, to work, and raise a family.”
The CRRSAA, as approved by Congress and signed into law on December 27, 2020, included $10 billion for state highway and transportation systems. Kansas received $94 million in total. $9.1 million of those funds will collectively go directly to the Kansas City and Wichita metro areas, as federally designated, according to the governor. KDOT will distribute the remaining funds to cities and counties to restore motor fuel tax revenue losses, advance preservation work, and increase funding for popular local partnership programs.
“Partnerships are a guiding principle of the IKE program, and that’s why I’m proud that we are sharing these dollars with local governments,” Kansas Transportation Secretary Julie Lorenz said. “Because funding wrapped in red tape is not relief, we’re eliminating federal reporting responsibilities and red tape for local communities thus enabling them to deliver services and projects faster and more easily.”
Gov. Kelly said multiple options were considered for how to best invest the CRRSA funds. The Kelly administration, in collaboration with KDOT, ultimately selected an approach allowing the accomplishment of three goals:
• Invest the maximum amount of dollars into our economy in the least amount of time.
• Invest dollars in every Kansas county, leaving no part of the state behind.
• Target additional economic opportunities in the communities that have been hit the hardest during the pandemic.
Kansas motor fuel tax revenues have declined by $37.5 million since April 2020. Because a third of this revenue is earmarked for local communities, $12.5 million will be distributed to make local government budgets whole, according to the governor. All Kansas counties and over 600 cities receive funding through the Special City County Highway Fund formula. The governor made the announcement about the funding in Newton, Kansas.
The infusion of federal relief funds will enable KDOT to advance a minimum of $25 million in preservation construction lettings by December 2021 and to invest $10-15 million in increased funding for local partnership programs such as Cost Share, Local Bridge, Technology and High Risk Rural Roads. Priority will be given communities hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the governor.