Governor Laura Kelly Announces More Than $6 Million for Rural Road Safety Improvements
TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly announced that more than $6 million in funds from the Kansas High Risk Rural Roads (HRRR) Program will go to 10 rural counties to improve the safety and efficiency of roads and local roadways.
“These improvements are vital to maintaining the infrastructure as many Kansans depend on rural roadways,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “Our rural roads are an important component to the local and state economy. Programs like this ensure that commerce flows and Kansas families can travel the state safely.”
The funding will be available through the Kansas High Risk Rural Roads (HRRR) Program which is a federally funded state/local partnership initiative designed to improve safety on rural roads. This year’s 10 HRRR projects were selected from more than 40 applications seeking $21 million in federal funds. Kansas HRRR funds cover 90-100 percent of total project cost with the counties making up the difference if required.
“Recognizing that Kansans use local roads to reach state highways, KDOT partners with cities and counties to help improve local infrastructure,” Transportation Secretary Julie Lorenz said. “Working together provides opportunities for communities to strengthen their local road network to improve connections across the state.”
Projects in this program fall into one of two categories: Systemic (encompassing a local roadway network) or Site Specific. Projects in the Systemic category are 100 percent federally funded and Site Specific projects are 90 percent federally funded.
Selected HRRR Projects:
| SITE SPECIFIC | ||
| County | Project | Amount |
| Edwards | Install aggregate shoulders on 260th Avenue/270th Avenue from Kiowa County line to U.S. 50 | $733,500 |
| Finney | Extend culverts and add rumble strips on VFW Road from Maple Street to U.S. 50 | $206,000 |
| Lyon | Install aggregate shoulders and flatten side slopes on Road F between U.S. 56 and Road 245 | $949,000 |
| Mitchell | Upgrade guardrail on 130 Road (Waconda Lake Causeway Road) between K Road and the south city limits of Cawker City | $1,899,000 |
| Ness | Update guardrail and install object markers on J Road between 20 Road and K-96 | $454,500 |
| Wabaunsee | Install pavement markings, aggregate shoulders, upgrade guardrail and remove obstructions from clear zone on Mission Valley Road between K-4 and Harveyville Road | $288,000 |
| SYSTEMIC | ||
| Greenwood | Upgrade signing on all major collectors east of K-99 | $399,000 |
| Nemaha | Upgrade signing on all major collectors north of U.S. 36 | $340,000 |
| Reno | Upgrade signing on all major and minor collectors west of K-14 | $561,000 |
| Russell | Upgrade signing on all major collectors north of I-70 and west of U.S. 281 | $249,000 |
| Total of All Projects: $6,079,000 | ||
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