TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNW) -- Nearly $16.5 million will go towards the expansion and rehabilitation of 17 short-line railroads across Kansas.
The funding comes from the Kansas Department of Transportation’s Rail Service Improvement Program. They are matching grants, meaning that each railroad will provide a 30% match.
“These needed rail infrastructure improvements will lift up rural Kansas and, in doing so, will maximize the economic potential of the entire state,” says Governor Laura Kelly in a news release. “By strengthening agriculture supply chains, my administration is helping our farmers and ranchers connect to regional, national, and international markets.”
“Rail service lessens the number of trucks that would otherwise be on local roads and Kansas highways, which reduces roadway maintenance and rehabilitation needs,” says Secretary of Transportation Calvin Reed. “Having different modes of quality transportation strengthens our state and creates new economic development opportunities for Kansas communities.”
The selected projects are:
| Project Sponsor | Project Type | Award |
| Cimarron Valley Railroad, Ford County | Expansion/Capacity improvements | $2,233,946 |
| Summit Sustainable Ingredients, Phillips County | Expansion/Capacity improvements | $1,436,595 |
| South Kansas & Oklahoma Railroad, Cowley County | Major rehabilitation | $319,802 |
| South Kansas & Oklahoma Railroad, Elk County | Expansion/Capacity improvements | $1,947,101 |
| The Scoular Company, Sherman County | Qualified track maintenance | $230,002 |
| Kansas & Oklahoma Railroad, Sedgwick County | Major rehabilitation | $859,221 |
| New Century AirCenter Railroad (JCAX), Johnson County | Major rehabilitation | $1,400,594 |
| Kyle Railroad, Cloud County | Major rehabilitation | $811,440 |
| Viterra USA Grain, Sedgwick County | Major rehabilitation | $562,332 |
| Hutchinson Transportation (HUTX), Reno County | Major rehabilitation | $586,906 |
| Weskan Grain, Scott County | Expansion/Capacity improvements | $1,472,240 |
| Central Prairie Co-op, Rice County | Expansion/Capacity improvements | $880,110 |
| Garden City Western Railway, Finney County | Preservation/Major rehabilitation | $695,056 |
| Mid-States Materials, Reno County | Expansion/Capacity improvements | $911,826 |
| Midway Co-op, Smith County | Major rehabilitation | $422,835 |
| Farmers Co-op, Sumner County | Qualified track maintenance | $39,057 |
| V&S Railway, Barber/Harper counties | Preservation/Major rehabilitation | $1,657,799 |
| Total Awarded | $16,466,862 | |
The governor's office says the funds will be used to replace and improve rail lines across the state and increase rail safety, expand the number of cars, increase operating speeds, and reduce truck traffic, improving efficiency.
