Kansas Governor's Office
ALMA – Governor Laura Kelly today announced 29 bridge projects across Kansas will receive more than $5 million as part of the Kansas Local Bridge Improvement Program (KLBIP).
The KLBIP is a state-local partnership initiative that provides funds to replace or rehabilitate locally-owned deficient bridges to improve the Kansas infrastructure.
“My administration remains committed to improving the overall transportation system in our state – and that includes bridges in need of long-overdue repairs,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “By fostering partnerships among all levels of government, we can build the robust and responsive infrastructure system that keeps Kansans safe, our commerce flowing, and our economy continuously flourishing.”
The KLBIP is a state-local partnership initiative included in the Kelly Administration’s bipartisan, 10-year Eisenhower Transportation Legacy Program, or IKE. The Kelly administration reinstated KLBIP in 2019 to assist cities and counties by providing up to $150,000 toward the replacement or rehabilitation of a bridge on the local roadway system. For this recent round of KLBIP selections, a total of 62 applications were received with requests for $10.5 million in funds.
“These local bridges are the lifeblood of many communities. Most ag loads start in a field, are placed in a truck that then has to cross a county bridge to get to a state highway or rail line,” KDOT Secretary Lorenz said. “Congratulations to these Kansas communities for partnering with KDOT and securing local matching funds that keep critical bridges open to the public and moving commerce.”
There are approximately 19,300 bridges on Kansas’ local road systems. About 26% – or 5,000 – of those bridges are in poor condition or unable to meet today’s weight and vehicle requirements. The KLBIP targets bridges 20-50 feet in length and a daily vehicle count of less than 100.
Projects in our area include the following. Those with an asterisk indicate recipients that closed a second deficient bridge to receive an additional $50,000.
Clay County
2.0 miles south and 2.0 miles east of Fact on 28th Road over Deadman Creek
Republic County *
2.0 miles south and 0.3 mile west of Agenda on Xavier Road over West Fork Elk Creek