TOPEKA, Kan. — Fourteen rail projects in Kansas will receive $13 million in funding from the state Department of Transportation’s Rail Service Improvement Program, Gov. Laura Kelly announced Wednesday (Dec. 18).
The projects were selected from 22 applications for projects with a total cost of more than $33 million. Projects require a 30% match from recipients; this year’s funds include $10 million in annual funding plus carryover funds and loan payments from past projects.
“Implementing these improvements will inevitably foster long-term growth,” Transportation Secretary Calvin Reed said in a press release. “We’re proud to be able to provide additional funding this round, strengthening connectivity and supporting communities that rely on having access to an efficient and reliable rail network.”
Five railroads and five customers received the awards, with three railroads — the South Kansas & Oklahoma, Kansas & Oklahoma, and Kyle Railroad, receiving two or more grants.
The largest award, $2.17 million, went to Seaboard Energy, located on the Cimarron Valley Railroad, for a project in Stevens County to increase capacity for receiving feedstock, reducing the need for off-site transloading.
The complete list of awards:
— Seaboard Energy, $2.17 million for the Hugoton rail expansion.
— Cimarron Valley Railroad, $1.94 million for the Hugton-Santanta rail upgrade, phase I.
— Kyle Railroad, $1.32 million for the Phillipsburg Yard rehabilitation project; $1.19 million for Yuma Subdivision rail replacement, Phase II.
— South Kansas & Oklahoma Railroad, $1.06 million for the Fall River Curve upgrade; $998,471 for the Coffeyville Bridge 286,000-pound upgrade; $420,000 for the Cherryvale interlocking upgrade.
— Kansas & Oklahoma Railroad, $724,185 for timber bridge conversions to a fill with pipe; $420,000 for Meridian Wye upgrades.
— Skyland Grain, $700,000 for expanded local shortline moves.
— Weskan Grain, $700,000 for additional industry loading tracks.
— Seaboard Foods, $525,169 for the Hugoton Feed Mill rail expansion.
— Abilene & Smoky Valley, $471,722 for infrastructure improvements.
— Cornejo & Sons, $389,484 for Cornejo Materials rail service improvement projects.
