Transportation Council
 

Position Statement for Transportation

Highway Priorities:

Southeast Kansas, Inc. supports:

the U.S. Highway 69 Association and the U.S. Highway 400 Association positions for inclusion in the next CTP; Fully funding the Kansas Department of Transportation maintenance budget to keep our highways and bridges in good condition; and Raising highway fuels tax and other transportation-specific taxes and fees to provide the revenue needed to achieve the transportation goals that the people of Southeast Kansas and the rest of Kansas believe are essential.

Highway Project Priorities:

US Highway 69 Four-lane from US Highway 400 junction to US Highway 54 junction north of Fort Scott US Highway 69/400 Four-lane to I-44 US Highway 400 Four-lane from 69 Junction west to US Highway 77 Junction US Highway 169 Super-two from OK border to K-7 K68 Four-lane from US Highway 169 to US Highway 69 US Highway 75 enhance in District 4

Rail Priorities:

Southeast Kansas, Inc. recommends that the existing short line rail program increase annual funding from $3 million to $5 million per year and allow access to the rail fund by rail customers and owners of industrial parks to: Increase annual funding by $2 million from $3 million to $5 million per year as supported by Parsons Brinkerhoff Study completed in 2005 Make grants available to customers of railroads, that:      i. Provide a 50% matching grant, that      ii. Make improvements to their railroad siding         or to lengthen sidings      iii. Acquire additional rail yards, sidings or capacities that           improve railroad velocity, or improve Customer Service. Make grants available to communities having railroads going through the community, where there are rail yards having significant switching or congestion issues impeding railroad velocity, or service to customers, that:      i. Provide a 25% matching grant by the community,         railroad or other entity      ii. Make improvements to add railroad capacity to improve          velocity or service to customers Make grants available to customers of railroads or to short line railroads, that:      i. Provide a 25% matching grant      ii. Relocate railroad customers from core urban areas         congested to lack of railroad capacity, or has service to         railroad customers impaired due to track issue. Add loan provision for industrial park owners to be used for rail improvements to facilitate short line railroad connections under the existing loan program.

Air Priorities:

Southeast Kansas, Inc. supports:

KDOT's continued effort to make emergency air transportation available to all Kansans KDOT to work to upgrade instrument approaches and runways to more Kansas airports.