Kansas railroad companies awarded $11.5 million to aid construction projects

HUMBOLDT, Kan. (WIBW) - Kansas railroad companies have been awarded $11.5 million in grants to aid in railroad construction projects.

Kansas Governor Laura Kelly says she joined Transportation Secretary Julie Lorenz on Thursday, May 26, to announce the state will give $11.5 million in grants to advance 17 railroad improvement projects throughout the Sunflower State.

Gov. Kelly said the projects - most of which are in West and Southwest Kansas - will be funded through the Kansas Department of Transportation’s State Rail Service Improvement Fund. She said she shared the news and the list of spring 2022 grantees at an event at the Monarch Cement Company in Humboldt - the largest grantee this cycle.

“Kansas’ railroad industry is vital to the state’s economy and the nation’s supply chain system,” Kelly said. “This $11.5 million investment will modernize our rail network, strengthen our position as a national logistics hub, and enable farmers and ranchers to get their products to market faster.”

Kelly noted that the SFSIF is part of the Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Program - IKE. Since it was founded in 2019, she said IKE has awarded nearly $50 million in grants and matching community contributions to 26 improvement projects.

Gov. Kelly said core to IKE is state-local collaboration - each grantee will contribute at least 40% of the improvement project funding. With the grantee’s contributions, it said the total investment in rail improvement projects throughout the state is $19 million.

“Combining state and private funds to improve local infrastructure is a core principle of IKE: leveraging partnerships,” Secretary Julie Lorenz said. “By placing emphasis on right-sized, practical improvements, together we are effectively addressing critical infrastructure needs for agriculture and manufacturing in Kansas.”

Projects to receive funding this cycle include:

Project Sponsor	Project	Award
Kansas and Oklahoma Railroad	Replace rail on .5 mile of curves	$112,595
Kansas and Oklahoma Railroad	Upgrade 51 bridges to 286K	$995,500
Cimarron Valley Railroad	Major rehabilitation	$1,048,872
South Kansas and Oklahoma Railroad	Replace 9 switches in Winfield Yard	$380,803
South Kansas and Oklahoma Railroad	Major rehabilitation/286K	$619,564
Americold Logistics	Siding replacement	$28,951
Kansas and Oklahoma Railroad Priority	Replace 4 switches from 90# to 115# rail	$182,119
Garden City Western	Rehabilitation	$307,513
Scoular Grain Goodland	Siding extension	$361,644
ADM	Construction of a new 2-mile loop track	$90,000
MKC Elevator	Construction of a 120-car loop track	$1,625,169
Dei-Fan Logistics	New siding construction	$642,526
Bestifor Farms	Siding rehabilitation and expansion	$664,756
Monarch Cement	Construction of new siding	$2,100,000
Midland Marketing cooperative	Siding rehabilitation	$231,015
KYLE	Rail replacement	$1,440,000
New Century AirCenter Railroad	Major rehabilitation/286K	$849,900