The Kansas Department of Transportation recently issued $18.9 million to support 53 airport development projects statewide. By leveraging local matches, the awards will contribute $95 million in total improvements to the state’s aviation network, the agency said.
[Above image by Kansas DOT]
That grant funding – issued via the Kansas Airport Improvement Program or KAIP – will support the planning, construction, and rehabilitation of public-use general aviation airports, which are critical to the state’s economy and emergency services, the agency said.
“Investing in Kansas’ airport infrastructure is crucial to enhancing the connectivity that fuels our local economies,” noted Governor Laura Kelly (D) in a statement. “We are leveraging state dollars to make vital improvements that benefit the entire state.”
[Editor’s note: As part of its effort to boost the aviation industry, the Nebraska Department of Transportation is launching a statewide traveling Youth Aviation Art Exhibit highlighting student creativity and aviation education across the state.]
“Kansas airports are important components of our overall transportation system,” said Calvin Reed, secretary of the Kansas DOT.
“The KAIP allows us to work alongside our local and federal partners to deliver a safe, reliable aviation network,” he added. “By prioritizing safety and preservation today, we are building a transportation system that works for all Kansans well into the future.”
The agency noted that the KAIP receives $15 million annually through the state’s Eisenhower Legacy Transportation or IKE program.
For the first time this year, the program also considered multi-year phased projects to help smaller communities tackle larger-scale improvements over time, noted Courtney Smith, the KAIP program manager for Kansas DOT.
“These projects have a meaningful, real-world impact,” Smith added. “Whether it’s helping pave a runway years after it was decimated by a tornado, or helping support life-saving air ambulance operations, these investments keep Kansas connected.”
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