Economic Stimulus and Transportation Projects in Kansas

depsec

There’s great interest in the federal Economic Stimulus Package and how it might affect transportation projects in Kansas. We have heard from legislators, local officials and other stakeholders who have many questions – and unfortunately, there are more questions than answers at the moment.

I want to assure you that KDOT is following the situation closely and we are working hard to make sure Kansas receives and uses all transportation funds that might be available to our state. Right now we don’t know how much will be appropriated or what restrictions there will be on the funds. We have been and will continue to work with local government representatives and others to evaluate the options. KDOT intends to share funding with local governments.

I want to stress that this is a very fluid situation and we will post information on K-TOC as it becomes available. I encourage you to watch K-TOC for updates from “drslimmer” in the Economic Stimulus Legislation discussion group about the federal legislation and send us your thoughts and questions. - Jerry Younger, Deputy Secretary for Engineering and State Transportation Engineer

drslimmer

Here is a link to FHWA's economic recovery web page which includes a series of key questions and answers (Q&As). I've been advised these Q&As will continue to be updated as more information becomes available and this web page will provide all stakeholders with the latest information.

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/economicrecovery/

suellenm

Wednesday, January 28, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 1, the "American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009," on a vote of 244-188. While the final bill is not yet available, based on the information known to KDOT at this time, it appears that Kansas would receive approximately $317.2 million for highway and bridge projects and $31.5 million for transit projects under the provisions of the bill. Information regarding the amount of funding available under the Senate's version of the economic stimulus legislation, which has not seen floor action, has not been released.
-Suellen Markley, KDOT Governmental Affairs Analyst

schneweis

Here's a quick analysis of what Kansas would receive under the house bill (HR 1) as passed Wednesday. Quick tip of the hat to suellenm for this fine work:

Estimated funding for Kansas is $317.23 M. Funding is distributed in two components:

1. 45 percent of total funds -- $142.75 M -- would be distributed through the STP formula, meaning:

Transportation Enhancement program – 10 percent = $14.3 M
State Flexible – 37.5 percent of the remaining 90 percent
By population – 62.5 percent of the remaining 90 percent to: Urbanized areas over 200,000 ($29.4 M total with KC = $16.8 M, Wichita = $12.6 M) and other areas of the state

Of this 45 percent of funds that are suballocated through the STP formula – if less than 50 percent are obligated within 75 days of suballocation then the portion of the 50 percent of funding that has not been obligated will be returned to the state for use anywhere in the state.

2. 55 percent of total funds -- $174.48 M -- is not further distributed. The funding can be spent anywhere in the state.

Of this 55 percent of funds, if less than 50 percent are obligated within 90 days then the portion that has not been obligated shall be redistributed to states that have obligated at least 50 percent of their funds.

Other information of interest –

In selecting projects to be funded, recipients shall give priority to projects that:
1. can award contracts within 90 days of enactment;
2. are included in an approved STIP and/or TIP;
3. are projected for completion with a three-year time frame; and
4. are located in “economically distressed areas” as defined by law.

Federal share is 100 percent.

[Updated on 1/29/2009 4:30 PM]

seneca161

This quick version of the plan is very helpful...Thank you! There are many people on Main Street watching and waiting to see what happens....so we can be " Shovel ready in Seneca!

pquinn

Norm Bowers posted an excellent short note about stimulus funds for Kansas counties in the Highways and Local Roads group at

http://ktoc.net/group_discussion.aspx?discussionid=8fbe4ba9b9b644e4a5361453715dc6f2

pquinn

From: Kansas Department of Transportation
To: City and County Partners

Subject: Local Transportation Funding and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

Dear Local Partner:

The recent passage of The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) has generated a number of calls from our local partners seeking help in getting their favorite projects funded. I think providing some general information about KDOT’s approach to selecting local projects for ARRA funding will help all our local partners understand the “who’s and how’s” involved with the selection process.

First, KDOT will allocate approximately $32 million dollars of ARRA monies towards funding selected local projects statewide outside the Kansas City and Wichita metropolitan areas. Kansas City and Wichita will share a total of $38 million between them, under the terms of the ARRA.

Second, specific forms and information will be available later this week regarding KDOT’s process for soliciting and selecting the local projects that will receive funding. Generally speaking, KDOT will distribute a share of the $32 million to each of our six districts (regions) using a formula similar to that used to distribute Special City and County Highway Fund monies. Local entities will submit a completed project application form to their appropriate KDOT District Engineer (DE) or Area Engineer (AE) for consideration.

Finally, since it is KDOT’s DE and AE’s who will be selecting the local projects to fund in their respective Districts, I would encourage all our local partners to visit with your local DE and/or AE prior to submitting a project for consideration.

I invite you to watch for updates about the ARRA on our online community, KTOC, www.ktoc.net and on our website at www.ksdot.org.

Sincerely,

Jerry Younger, P.E.,

Assistant Secretary for Engineering/State Transportation Engineer,
Kansas Department of Transportation

ktocadmin

Kansas Department of Transportation ADVISORY

Feb. 19, 2009 09-016

Lieutenant Governor, KDOT
to announce stimulus projects

Lt. Gov. Mark Parkinson and Kansas Transportation Secretary Deb Miller will conduct a joint news conference to announce the selection of state highway projects that will be funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

Friday, Feb. 20, 2009
9 a.m., 4th Floor Auditorium
Eisenhower State Office Building
700 S.W. Harrison, Topeka, Kansas

A news release and press packet will be distributed at the news conference and also posted on the KDOT Web site – www.ksdot.org – at the beginning of the meeting.

###

[Updated on 2/19/2009 10:39 AM]

nfaokla

KDOT should look at Rail Investment, through the Stimulus Act, as Equal to that of Highway Investment based upon efficient use of taxpayer funds.

Lost in much of the Stimulus Act (ARRA) discussion is the fact that capacity mitigation through State or State/Amtrak coordination will help the nation more efficiently haul freight, reduce energy consumption, and clean the air. For years, the railroads have struggled with imbalanced semi-truck competition, much of which has been shouldered by the taxpayer with increasing road and bridge project subsidies. Our roads seem to be increasingly engineered for weights that approach those of freight trains and not automobiles.

Unfortunately, it again falls upon the taxpayer to “right-the-ship.” Hopefully, the larger lesson, or adjustment, should be to have the public pay more attention to government activities and act around election time. Public apathy has been a cancer on our government for the past 60 years. If you criticize the stimulus bill, consider that it would have been unnecessary if we had been a bit more careful and elected more visionaries over this timespan.

Passenger rail expansion through the ARRA serves two purposes. It provides Amtrak expansion time "slots" on busy freight corridors. It even makes feasible new operation over freight corridors once considered too busy to support passenger rail. However, of greater benefit to freight railroads is the fact that proposed capacity improvement will provide additional freight time "slots," without railway capital investment. As an example, the Union Pacific AND Amtrak passengers will soon reap benefits from a $3 million federal match between Kansas City and St. Louis corridor with new and lengthened sidings.

While conservatives may claim this stimulus funding supports unionized business over free enterprise, or even a “President Obama Chinese Loan,” nobody can argue that the nation is in the midst of economic peril with crumbling infrastructure. The adjustment to a more efficient way of transporting goods and people is long overdue and will hopefully provide long term benefits with short term pain (with an emphasis on hopefully). The net benefit to corporations, investors, and the traveling public is that it begins to level a 60 year imbalance in US transportation spending.

New federal railroad investment should encourage all freight rail companies to reevaluate passenger rail benefits. Freight railroads should no longer discourage passenger rail expansion based upon past and present operational realities. Rather, they should see Amtrak expansion as a way to provide a competitive edge to their freight operations that in many cases require capacity expansions based upon freight traffic alone.

[Updated on 3/13/2009 11:35 AM]

hilaryk

Haven't been to the website for awhile, but checking in today I saw your post and I'm glad to see someone speaking up for rails.
I think we have to start looking at all spending in different terms for what it is and what it does. When we build and expand roads we are subsidizing all sorts of things from fossil fuel to sprawl. We have a very large country, but it isn't infinite. Spending money now on infrastructure that will serve us better in the long term is essential. Our economy has taken a huge hit from thinking short term. Let's think long term and reprioritize where we spend our tax (subsidizing) dollars.

Robin Proffitt

It would make great sense to get Commerce moving from the southeastern Kansas region to the northwest via the Passageway. Truck traffic is tremendous in Central Kansas and the roads are narrow and deteriorated. This is detrimental to timely commerce, dangerous to travelers, and slows tourism to a crawl which is a huge source of revenue.
Please put Barton County on your list for Economic Stimulus Funding.

ktocadmin

Yesterday, I joined Governor Mark Parkinson, Col. John Dvoracek, Ogden Counselor Peter Rombold and Riley County Commissioner Mike Kearns in a celebrating the start of the 4-lane expansion of K-18 in Riley County.

K-18 is the last major project to begin in Kansas that was funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. We’ve produced a short-video about yesterday’s event and other Kansas Recovery Projects, which you can view at http://bit.ly/aZCUPF.

Kansas received $387 million in Recovery funds, which has been invested in 149 projects across the state. This includes highways, local roads, transportation enhancements, transit, rail, aviation and Metropolitan Planning Organization projects. These projects are creating jobs, improving our infrastructure and expanding economic opportunities for Kansas.
I hope you’ve noticed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act signs in your area, which point out all the great work taking place across our state.

Thank you,
Deb Miller