TOPEKA, KS — Governor Laura Kelly announces that the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) has received over $26 million in federal funding to improve rural road infrastructure in Hamilton and Edwards counties.
“This significant investment will transform rural infrastructure in southwest Kansas by improving accessibility for residents and businesses,” Kelly said.
Awarded through the Rural Surface Transportation Grant Program, the funding will support the replacement of 14.8 miles of dirt roads with paved surfaces, incorporating stormwater management systems, improved sight distances, and enhanced road shoulders in Hamilton and Edwards counties to improve mobility for the region’s developing dairy industry.
“The Kansas Department of Transportation is proud to have a role in delivering these projects that improve mobility and support local industries,” Transportation Secretary Calvin Reed said. “By addressing long-standing transportation issues in the region, we can help southwest Kansas thrive and remain competitive.”
The Dairy Farms and Dirt Roads: Bringing Supply Chain Infrastructure to Southwest Kansas Project, estimated to cost $33.4 million in total, aims to bolster the region’s agricultural supply chain by enhancing road durability and efficiency.
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Upgrades to 8.5 miles in Edwards County will improve county roads servicing two dairy facilities in the area. This includes upgrades along O Road between 200th Avenue and 210th Avenue. Additional work will enhance pavement on 180th Avenue and 210th Avenue.
In Hamilton County, the road surface transportation project will improve 6.3 miles that support several businesses including two existing dairies, Southwest Plains Dairy and Frontier Dairy. The project will pave a loop of existing dirt roads with concrete surfacing.
The funding totals $26.698 million.
