KDOT awards $8.5 million in Transportation Alternatives projects

The KDOT Transportation Alternatives Program helps fund facilities for improved bike and pedestrian paths, and Safe Routes to School, as well as other project types. 

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.

For a full list of the projects go here.

Work Zone Wednesday: Safe Routes to School in Erie

Crews place new sidewalk pavement along Webster Street. The work will continue for several blocks north to Erie Elementary School.

In early May crews from  RFB Construction of Pittsburg began making sidewalk improvements in Erie. The project includes the reconstruction of existing sidewalk sections, the addition of new sidewalks along several streets, ADA ramps, and new curb and gutter. The federal Safe Routes to School program is funding 80 percent of the $207,796 construction cost, with the remaining 20 percent matched by the city.

Crews place new sidewalk pavement along Webster Street. The work will continue for several blocks north to Erie Elementary School.

The Safe Routes to School projects in Erie and other cities throughout Kansas are part of KDOT’s Transportation Alternatives Program.

KDOT calls for Transportation Alternative Program projects

The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) is calling for projects for the 2017 and 2018 Transportation Alternatives (TA) Program.

The TA Program, as administered by the department, provides funding for a variety of alternative transportation projects. These include pedestrian and bicycle facilities, infrastructure for non-driver access to public transportation, projects that enhance mobility for bicyclists and pedestrians, improvements to the scenic or environmental assets in our state, Safe Routes to School projects, and others. An estimated $18 million in federal funds are anticipated to be available over the course of two Calendar Years. All selected projects will be required to meet a 20% local cash match.

KDOT’s 2017 and 2018 TA Program Guidance & Application Packet, which includes timeline, application, eligibility, scoring criteria, and project selection notes, is available for download at: https://www.ksdot.org/bureaus/burtransplan/TransAlt.asp

Important Dates:

Monday, May 8, 2017 – Call for Projects announced and website will be live with application and guidance documents.

Monday, May 15, 2017, 9 am – 12 pm – TA Workshop in Topeka at KDOT headquarters, 700 SW Harrison, 4^th Floor Auditorium A & B.  This will be geared toward eligible Project Sponsors.  Space is limited; please RSVP by 2 pm on May 12, 2017 to Matthew.Messina@ks.gov.

KDOT will host this workshop to inform eligible Project Sponsors about the process and go over changes from past Calls for Projects.  Staff from various state and federal agencies will be available to discuss TA program categorical information and the project application process.

Friday, July 7, 2017 4:00pm – Applications are due (5 paper copies and one digital copy in PDF format) mailed to KDOT headquarters:

Attn: Matthew Messina, 700 SW Harrison St. 2^nd Floor, Topeka, KS 66603

July, 2017 – September, 2017 – Site Visits for all projects.

November, 2017 – Final selections by KDOT and announcement of awards.

For more information, please contact Matt Messina at Matthew.Messina@ks.gov or call 785.296.7448.