Governor Kelly Announces More Than $8.8 Million for Rural Road Safety Improvements

Governor Laura Kelly has announced more than $8.8 million from the Kansas High-Risk Rural Roads (HRRR) Program will go to 19 rural counties to improve the safety and efficiency of roads and local roadways.

"These investments will keep roads in rural areas safe and easy to travel, something that's essential to supporting local businesses and making life better for Kansas families," Governor Kelly said.

The program is a federally funded initiative designed to improve safety on rural roads through state and local partnerships. This year's 19 projects were selected from 50 applications seeking $30.3 million in federal funds. Kansas HRRR funds cover 90 to 100 percent of the total project cost, with the counties making up the difference if necessary.

"Local agencies often do not have the resources needed to adequately address safety problems on the roads they own and operate," said Acting Transportation Secretary Calvin Reed. "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.

The distribution of the $8,809,000 in funds is listed below. Funds are for Federal Fiscal Year 2025:

Barton, Systemic, $171,000 - Upgrade signing on all major collectors in the southwest quadrant of the county.

Cherokee, Systemic, $400,000 - Upgrade signing on all major collectors in the west half of the county.

Cowley, Site Specific, $601,000 - Widen driving lanes, flatten ditch foreslopes and install six-inch white edge lines on three miles of paved major collectors.

Crawford, Site Specific, $682,000 - Add SafetyEdgeTM, flatten ditch foreslopes and install six-inch white edge lines on South 200th Street.

Ellis, Systemic, $595,000 - Determine passing zones, add no passing pennant signs and appropriate centerline pavement markings and install six-inch white edge lines on 126 miles of paved major collectors throughout the county.

Ellsworth, Systemic, $345,000 - Upgrade signing on all major collectors west of Kansas Highway 156 in the county.

Finney, Site Specific, $546,000 - Add two-foot shoulders with SafetyEdgeTM, eliminate fixed obstacles and install six-inch white edge lines on Maple Street.

Graham, Systemic, $310,000 - Upgrade signing on 101 miles of unpaved major collectors in the west half of the county.

Harper, Systemic, $362,000 - Upgrade signing on 90 miles of major collectors west of Kansas Highway 14 in the county.

Kearny, Systemic, $236,000 - Upgrade signing on 78 miles of major collectors north of US Highway 50 in the county.

Leavenworth, Site Specific, $1,151,000 - Add six-foot shoulders with SafetyEdgeTM, install edge rumble strips and extend culverts to improve the clear zone on Tonganoxie Drive between 189th and 187th Streets.

Linn, Site Specific, $351,000 - Install hazard/curve signage and six-inch white edge lines on Route 1095 between 1650 Road and Kansas Highway 152.

Marion, Site Specific, $750,000 - Install turf shoulders and extend culverts to improve the clear zone for six miles of 290th Road.

Morris, Systemic, $365,000 - Upgrade signing on 97 miles of major and minor collectors throughout the county.

Pottawatomie, Site Specific, $300,000 - Install four-foot aggregate shoulders and flatten ditch foreslopes on Flush Road between Kanon Ridge Lane and Elizas Road.

Pratt, Systemic, $420,000 - Install six-inch white edge lines on 71 miles of major collectors and local roads east of US Highway 281.

Rawlins, Systemic, $548,000 - Upgrade signing on 109 miles of major collectors west of Kansas Highway 25 in the county.

Rice, Systemic, $243,000 - Upgrade signing on 59 miles of major collectors west of Kansas Highway 14 and south of US Highway 56 in the county.

Sheridan, Systemic, $433,000 - Upgrade signing on 272 miles of major and minor collectors in the county.

(Information courtesy Office of the Governor.)