KANSAS — Kansas Governor Laura Kelly is hoping a new transportation plan will restore the health of state highways and improve quality of life.
At a press conference, Governor Kelly and KDOT Secretary Julie Lorenz announced the proposal of a plan called Forward.
The plan would finish some projects under the most recent program called t-works, that has expired.
It would also prioritize highway preservation, support broadband initiatives, increase fund-matching opportunities, and maintain a promise to spend at least $8 million in each of the state’s 105 counties.
New projects would be selected every two years instead of every 10.
Secretary Lorenz says she feels this plan will improve the quality of life for Kansas.
Julie Lorenz, KDOT Secretary, said, “Maybe it’s a pedestrian bridge, better rail service, better transit services, we look at an aging population, all those component pieces come together into a real well functioning transportation system. Transportation is the connecting fiber, it’s the piece that pulls urban and rural communities together and really helps enable Kansans to live their lives the way they want.”
Both Governor Kelly and Secretary Lorenz stressed the need to stop taking money out of the state highway fund.
Over the past several years, more than $2 billion has been transferred.
