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.

Rail depot preservation project wraps up in Lawrence

Looking outside the window at the newly restored Lawrence Santa Fe Depot.

Following nearly nine years of planning and almost a year of construction, the historic Santa Fe Depot used by Amtrak and BNSF is set be completed this month.

The City of Lawrence, which owns the facility, will cut the ribbon in February, 2019 to rededicate the facility following the $1.8 million renovation project. It is funded through KDOT’s Transportation Alternative Program (TAP) funds, which is federal funding for non-traditional transportation projects.        

Crews at work outside the Santa Fe Depot in Lawrence.

“We’re excited to be at this point,” said Diane Stoddard, City of Lawrence Assistant City Manager.

The building dates to 1955 and is on the National Register of Historic Places. 

The City of Lawrence, in cooperation with local preservation organizations, applied for the TAP funding, which reimburses 80 percent of the funds while the other 20 percent are provided by the project sponsor.

A view from the platform at the Santa Fe Depot in Lawrence. 

Federal TAP grants administered through KDOT fall into three general categories: bicycle/pedestrian, historic and scenic or environmental. The depot project received funds in the historic category because it supports rail transportation in Kansas.

The project preserved much of the interior, including artwork, furnishing, lighting and architectural features. It also provided the ability to build ADA-compliant access and restrooms, repair the roof and install geothermal HVAC and solar panels.

The rededication event is set for Feb. 22, 2019, at the depot.

KDOT calls for Transportation Alternative projects

The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) is pleased to announce the Transportation Alternatives (TA) Program Call for 2020 Projects.

KDOT's TA program helps fund public transportation for people who need a way to get around. 

KDOT’s TA Program provides funding for a variety of alternative transportation projects. These include the construction of pedestrian and bicycle facilities and infrastructure for non-driver access to public transportation, projects that enhance safety and mobility for pedestrians, bicyclists and transit riders, projects that improve scenic or environmental assets in our state, Safe Routes to School projects, and more. An estimated $7 million in federal funds are anticipated to be available to award for Federal Fiscal Year 2020. All selected projects will be required to meet a minimum 20% local cash match.

Safe routes to school is one of may programs that receives funding from KDOT's TA program.

All of KDOT’s TA Program materials, which includes the TA Program Guide, the project application form, frequently asked questions with answers, and more, are available for download at: http://www.ksdot.org/bureaus/burtransplan/TransAlt.asp

KDOT crews improved sidewalks as part of the Safe Routes to School program in Erie last summer. 

Important Dates:

• Wednesday, June 13, 2018 – Call for 2020 Projects announced, and website will be live with program guidance materials and the project application form.
• TA Program Workshops – KDOT will host two workshops to inform applicants about program requirements and expectations. Attendees will also review a demo application packet, cover any changes from previous rounds of TA funding, and participate in open and one-on-one Q&A session. Space is limited so please RSVP by 4 pm on Friday, July 6, 2018 to Matthew.Messina@ks.gov or (785) 296-7448 and indicate which workshop you would like to attend.

Topeka: Tuesday, July 10, 2018 – 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm – TA Workshop at Eisenhower State Office Building’s 4^th Floor Auditorium, 700 SW Harrison, Topeka, KS 66603. 

Salina: Wednesday, July 11, 2018 – 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm – TA Workshop at KDOT’s District 2 Headquarters’ conference room, 1006 N. Third, Salina, KS 67401.  

• Monday, September 10, 2018 at 4:00pm local time – Applications are due. Please submit 1 paper copy and 1 digital copy in PDF format on a USB flash drive, mailed to KDOT headquarters:
• Attn: Matthew Messina, 700 SW Harrison St. 2^nd Floor, Topeka, KS 66603.
• October 2018 – November 2018 – KDOT staff will conduct Site Visits for all eligible projects.
• December 2018 – Project selections and public announcement of awards

For more information, please contact Matt Messina at Matthew.Messina@ks.gov or call (785) 296-7448.

KDOT and Topeka Metro Bikes team up to increase bike share accessibility

While KDOT is known primarily for its maintenance, repair and construction projects on Kansas state roads, there is also a bureau responsible for planning the travel needs of pedestrians and bicyclists, and they have granted the bike share program in Topeka over $76,000 to make traveling by bike more accessible in the Topeka metro area.

Mallory Goeke, a Communications Specialist for KDOT,
demonstrates how to check out a Metro Bike.

Topeka Metro Bikes has been awarded Transportation Alternatives (TA) funds to add over 200 bicycle parking spots and five bikeshare stations in Topeka.  The new stations and parking spots combined with a corporate sponsorship that increases the number of publicly available bikes in the program will make the city’s bike share program the largest among comparably sized metropolitan areas. 

“Walking and bicycling are important modes of travel for people of all ages and abilities throughout our state,” said Matthew Messina, bike and pedestrian coordinator for KDOT.  “By addressing these transportation needs, we help improve the quality of life for our communities by providing healthy and affordable forms of transportation that connect people to places of work, worship, education, public transit and recreation.”

Karl Fundenberger, Metro Bike director at the Topeka Metropolitan Transit Authority, said the funds will be used to help address the first mile-last mile gap for transit riders and provide infrastructure for a rapidly growing bike share program.

“Bike Share is thriving in Topeka,” Fundenberger said. “Biking provides additional mobility options, reduces traffic congestion and adds money to the local economy.”

The Transportation Alternatives (TA) Program provides funding for projects and programs defined as transportation alternatives that advance non-motorized transportation facilities.  Those federal dollars come directly to KDOT to be used specifically to assist in developing accessible transportation for those who can’t or choose not to use motorized transportation.

Mallory Goeke, a KDOT Communications Specialist, takes a spin on a Metro Bike. Topeka Metro Bikes was recently awarded a KDOT Transportation Alternatives grant to help expand biking as a transportation option in Topeka.

Topeka Metro Bikes has been working on helping biking grow as a transportation alternative in Topeka, starting in 2015 with 100 bikes available to rent and growing to 300 in 2018. 

“It’s going to get easier and easier to be able to choose to ride a bike in Topeka,” Fundenberger said.  “When more people choose alternative transportation, traffic flows smoother and more parking spaces are available.”

Both Messina and Fundenberger said addressing the equitability of transportation options is an important way to improve both the culture and the economy of the local area.

“By addressing the last mile barrier, the program helps contribute to the growth of our state by helping connect people to the rest of the city,” Messina said.

Fundenberger said the TA grant will be used in part to help fill in bikeshare gaps in eastern Topeka.  TA grant money will also be used to retrofit bus stops with racks to lock bikes and will add bike share stations as well as public bike racks in high-use areas. 

For more information on riding with Topeka Metro Bikes or to learn more about biking in Topeka, visit www.topekametrobikes.org or contact Karl Fundenberger at 785-730-8615.

Walk this way: Shunga Trail addition celebrated

KDOT's Division of Planning and Development Director, Chris Herrick (Center) and other Topeka and Shawnee County officials celebrate the completion of a one-half mile extension of the Shunga Trail. Photo courtesy of WIBW-TV.

Outdoor recreation fans in Topeka have a huge reason to celebrate. A ribbon cutting marking the completion of the newest extension of Shunga Trail took place on Thursday. The new, one-half mile addition to the trail will provide patrons with direct access to a portion of the city that was previously difficult to reach on foot. It runs west of Fairlawn Road underneath I-470 and S.W. 29^th Street to a sidewalk along S.W. McClure Road.

Chris Herrick, KDOT’s Division of Planning and Development Director, said the City of Topeka completed this project with a Transportation Enhancement grant from KDOT.

“We are pleased to have been able to assist with this project, which is important to the public,” Herrick said. “This project is a great example of the different levels of government working together for the common good. The whole community can enjoy and benefit from this trail addition.”

Matthew Messina, KDOT’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator, said that this project made a safe connection to the city’s trail network by bypassing barriers that aren’t safe or legal for pedestrians and bicyclists to use.

“The main benefit is creating the connection with the southwest Topeka community and continuing the development of a safe trail network that people can use to recreate or access daily essentials like school, work, church, grocery stores, restaurants, shops, healthcare centers and more,” Messina said.

Topeka Mayor Larry Wolgast said that although the extension only creates an additional one-half mile to Shunga Trail, it provides a safe route for school students attending French Middle School and McEachron Elementary.

“Students walking to school will no longer have to cross a busy intersection at S.W. 29^th Street,” Wolgast said.

Shawnee County Commissioner Bob Archer said that the extension of the Shunga Trail was significant.

A shot of the Shunga Trail's new addition. Photo courtesy of WIBW-TV

“It opens direct access to the trail to an entire new area of our community south of S.W. 29^th Street,” Archer said. “The Shunga Trail is the largest trail within Shawnee County Parks and Recreation, now totaling 8 1/2 miles, with park patrons using it to walk, jog, bicycle and even commute to and from work.”

There are multiple benefits for this new addition, one of them being an economic development angle.

“Our parks and recreation department asked that the trail be located along the south side of Shunganunga Creek where it will enhance the planned Wheatfield Village retail and residential development at 29^th Street and Fairlawn Road,” Archer said.

John Knight, Director of Shawnee Parks and Recreation, said connectivity of the trails is important.

“In our research for our Master Plan, the public told us that the number one amenity they desire in our parks and recreation system is trails and nature areas,” Knight said. “People can now ride a bike from south of S.W. 29^th Street all the way to N.E. 2^nd Street where the Shunga Trail connects with the Deer Creek Trail.”

“KDOT looks forward to developing more trails like this in the future, in Topeka and other Kansas communities as well,” Messina said.

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.

June's letting includes Streetscape improvement in Girard

Girard's proposed Streetscape improvements from their Transportation Alternatives application. 

A $1.5 million Streetscape improvement project in the city of Girard is one of nine projects in the June KDOT letting. The project was selected in 2015 by KDOT as one of 20 projects to receive federal funding  as part of the Transportation Alternatives program.

The Streetscape improvements will highlight design elements and visual effects along the square block of Prairie Avenue and Forest Avenue between Summit Street and Ozark Avenue. Enhancements include LED street lighting, plantings, new sidewalks, curb and gutters.

To see all of the projects in the June letting, click here.