-->

New Short Line Rail Fund program in Kansas funds 13 projects

By Madison Parry

The Kansas Department of Transportation and Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly announce 13 recipients of funding through the new Short Line Rail Fund program, this year’s selected projects to improve and construct nearly 15 miles of track totaling a $7 million investment.

A new program in Kansas through the Kansas Department of Transportation has brought funding to 13 selected projects.

Called the Short Line Rail Fund program, recipients were announced Tuesday by Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly along with Transportation Secretary Julie Lorenz, Kansas Grain and Feed Association President and CEO Ron Seeber, and Western Group Senior Vice President and COO Bruce Carswell.

A total of $5 million in grants was awarded to the 13 selected projects, four projects awarded to short line railroads and nine projects awarded to shippers, according to a Tuesday news release from the governor’s office.

“This project, and the IKE program as a whole, exemplify the change in how this administration does business,” Kelly said in the release. “The State of Kansas will benefit because of programs like IKE, which demonstrates how government can be dynamic, fiscally responsible, and implement cutting-edge strategies to produce results for our communities.”

Created under Kelly’s Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Program (IKE), the Short Line Rail Fund program is a partnership between the public and private sector and provides $5 million annually over three years.

To be considered, each applicant had to meet criteria related to long-term impact on rail operations, movement of goods, job creation and ability to expand currently served markets, and efficiency of rail operations.

This year’s selected projects expected to improve and construct nearly 15 miles of track totaling a $7 million investment.