State’s Transportation Department Sifted Through 81 Applications

The final list of approved projects under the Kansas Airport Improvement Program (KAIP) was recently released, showcasing 47 aviation initiatives receiving a total of $14.5 million in state funding. Including local matching, this year’s KAIP value is nearly $23 million.

“The Kansas aerospace industry is an essential part of our state’s economy,”?explained Kansas Governor Laura Kelly. “Keeping our aviation infrastructure in optimal condition is a large part of that economic growth and job creation, allowing local businesses and communities to prosper.”

The Kansas Airport Improvement Program gets $15 million a year through the Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Program (IKE): a 10-year, $10-billion investment that aims to improve the state’s transportation infrastructure. The funding can be applied to a wide variety of projects at public-use general aviation airports, including planning, construction, and rehabilitation.

This year, the Kansas Department of Transportation’s Division of Aviation took in 81 applications. If all of these requests had been fulfilled, the state would be spending upwards of $42 million on this one round of KAIP grants. Officials narrowed the pool by focusing on pavement preservation, safety, and air ambulance accessibility for rural communities.

47 projects were selected to get part of the $14.5 million pot. Factoring in local fund-matching initiatives, which are 10-50% required investments under the KAIP, the total project value for 2025 is $22.9 million.

The largest award for this round is a three-way tie between Jetmore Municipal Airport, New Century Air Center, and Osborne Municipal Airport, all with $800,000 grants. Independence Municipal Airport will receive $756,000 to rehabilitate part of its ramp, and another $684,000 will go to Fort Scott Municipal Airport for taxiway edge lighting replacements.

“Combining state and local funds to provide vital improvements to general aviation airports has helped to create a statewide aviation network citizens can depend on,” added Secretary of Transportation Calvin Reed. “This offers more services, like air ambulance accessibility, that can help support transportation needs in all areas of Kansas.”

FMI: www.ksdot.gov