Kansas Communities Receive More Than $4M for Railroad Crossing Infrastructure
Written by Jennifer McLawhorn, Managing Editor
FRA
TOPEKA, Kan. - More than $4 million was awarded to two communities in Kansas as part of the USDOT FRA's Railroad Crossing Elimination program.
Of that $4 million, $413,000 comes from matching funds from the Kansas Infrastructure Hub and Build Kansas Fund. $427,830 comes from local contributions.
The first project to receive funding is the Eastern Kansas Communities Rail Corridor At-Grade Crossing Elimination Plan. The cities of Spring Hill, Fontana, and Fort Scott are collaborating to improve rail crossing safety along the BNSF Fort Scott Subdivision. $107,500 comes from Build Kansas Funding; $1,720,000 comes from federal funding; $322,500 comes from applicant contribution. In total, the project received $2,150,000.
The second project is the Liberal Crossing Analysis for Routes Enhancing Safety (Liberal CARES) and will help to develop activities to identify a closure location “and develop a grade separation plan in Liberal.” $305,000 in funds comes from Build Kansas Funding. $1,639,520 comes from federal funding, and $104,880 comes from applicant contribution. The total funds for the project comes to $2,049,400.
“Improving railroad crossings in Kansas is crucial for enhancing safety and connectivity in our communities,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “I’m proud these two projects are receiving vital infrastructure planning grants, which will not only improve our railroad crossing safety but also strengthen the entire state’s transportation network.”
Build Kansas Fund has provided matching funds for 38 federal grant awards across the state. The release goes on to state that the combined investment by the Build Kansas Fund in all projects comes out to more than $34.6 million, “which has resulted in federal grant awards of more than $75.9 million.”
“Our communities in Kansas have consistently expressed that with technical assistance and matching funds, they can access additional federal resources to improve safety and infrastructure,” said Matt Volz, Executive Director of the Kansas Infrastructure Hub. “The support offered through the Kansas Infrastructure Hub and Build Kansas Fund showcases Kansas’ leadership on a national scale while equipping local communities with the tools they need to fully capitalize on the opportunities provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill.”
