Governor Kelly Announces $350M in Highway Projects Added to IKE Construction Pipeline
~~Construction Timeline Set for Final Phases of Remaining
T-WORKS Projects~~
OLATHE – Governor Laura Kelly and Transportation Secretary Calvin Reed today announced seven Expansion and Modernization highway projects – a total investment of more than $350 million – have been committed to construction as part of the Kelly administration’s bipartisan 10-year, $10 billion Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Program, also known as IKE.
“When combined with the first two rounds of IKE Construction projects, these investments are part of a $2 billion commitment to make our roads safer, reduce congestion, create good jobs, and deliver more economic opportunities,” said Governor Laura Kelly. “Getting these projects to construction will make getting around Kansas safer and easier and will allow the historic economic growth we’ve seen to benefit the entire state.”
Since the passage of the IKE program in 2020, the Kelly administration has advanced to construction more than $2 billion for highway modernization and expansion projects.
In addition to revealing the latest round of IKE Construction Pipeline projects, Governor Kelly and Secretary Reed also announced the final phase of two projects remaining from the T-WORKS program will go to construction in 2026. The two safety improvement projects on K-383 in Norton and Phillips Counties will officially complete the T-WORKS transportation program.
“Today’s announcement represents significant investments in the state’s transportation infrastructure,” said Transportation Secretary Calvin Reed. “Leveraging partnerships is a guiding principle of the IKE program. When we listen to citizens and work with communities, we are more assured these investments will provide long-lasting benefits for Kansans.”
Secretary Reed encouraged people to take part in a series of eight in-person local consult meetings held across the state and one virtual meeting starting next week. He said input from these bi-annual conversations is an important factor as KDOT determines which projects will be constructed. Visit ike.ksdot.gov for meeting locations, dates, and times.
Today’s announcement took place in Olathe, where improvements to the I-35/Santa Fe Drive interchange were among the selected projects. The project will address capacity issues on I-35 and reconfigure the interchange at 135th Street, making driving through the area much safer. The project is estimated to result in a 42% reduction in fatal and injury crashes and a 22% reduction in property damage crashes. The City of Olathe has committed funding to help pay for the project.
“Targeted investments in our local infrastructure create good-paying jobs, improve safety, and bring economic development to our communities,” said U.S. Representative Sharice Davids, KS-03. “That’s why I voted for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which continues to help our state fund infrastructure projects that have long been overlooked. I thank our state and local officials for their work to improve roadways in Olathe and across Kansas.”
Governor Kelly highlighted the balance of urban and rural projects included in the pipeline announcements. Construction projects were also announced in Dickinson, Douglas, Finney, Gray, Rice, and Thomas counties.
Below is a list of the statewide Construction Pipeline projects as announced. To see more information on these projects and other details, visit www.ksdot.gov.
2023 Construction Pipeline Projects
| District / Region | Description | Miles | Est. Const. Cost in $Millions | Construction Fiscal Year | Scope |
| 1
Northeast |
I-35 in Johnson County: Old US-56 to 119th Street (Phase 1) | 4 | $122 | 2027 | I-35/Santa Fe interchange and I-35 auxiliary lane reconstruction |
| 1
Northeast |
US-40/K-10 in Douglas County: I-70 south to US-40 (6th Street) | 1 | $91 | 2026 | Expansion to 4-lane freeway, new KTA interchange |
| 2
North Central |
K-15/K-18 in Dickinson County: from west junction (Zion) to east junction (Quality Oil) | 4 | $4 | 2028 | Widen shoulders and improve sight distance |
| 3
Northwest |
K-25 in Thomas County: from County Road I, north to 4-lane transition south of I-70 | 8 | $23 | 2026 | Reconstruct and add shoulders, bridge replacement |
| 5
South Central |
US-56 in Rice County: Lyons to McPherson County line | 14 | $15 | 2027 | Add shoulders |
| 6
Southwest |
US-50 in Finney County from Aerodrome Road southeast of Garden City Airport, east to Finney/Gray County Line | 3 | $44 | 2026 | Reconstruct to 4-lane Expressway |
| 6
Southwest |
US-50 in Gray County at the Finney/Gray County line east to 7 Road | 6 | $53 | 2026 | Reconstruct to 4-lane Expressway |
Remaining T-WORKS Projects
| District / Region | Description | Miles | Est. Const. Cost in $Millions | Construction Fiscal Year | Scope |
| 3
Northwest |
K-383 in Norton County: over Prairie Dog Creek (Bridge #062) (east of Almena) northeast to the Norton/Phillips County line | 5 | $19 | 2026 | 2-lane reconstruction of roadway
|
| 3 Northwest | K-383 in Phillips County from the Norton/Phillips County line northeast to Prairie Dog Creek (Bridge #051) | 10 | $31 | 2026 | 2-lane roadway reconstruction to include the addition of shoulders and hill removal
|
Photos from today’s announcement for media use can be found below.
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