On Thursday, Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly signed a bill to increase investment into her state’s public airports into law.
House Bill 2498 increased state funding for the Kansas Airport Improvement Program (KAIP) from $5 million to $15 million, and will allow public airports across the state to invest in modernization and infrastructure needs. The bill would also improve airport accessibility and safety, she said.
“This bill is a critical investment in our state’s aviation infrastructure, ensuring our public use general aviation airports have the resources they need to thrive,” Kelly said. “By boosting funding to the Aviation Fund, we’re enhancing safety and supporting economic development across Kansas.”
“Key to KDOT’s support of increased funding for the state’s 109 public use airports has been the agency’s ongoing collaboration with the Kansas Association of Airports and our local and federal partners,” Kansas Department of Transportation Secretary Calvin Reed said. “These airports generate over $9 billion in annual economic output. The KAIP program helps this important industry remain a vital part of the Kansas economy. That translates into jobs and quality of life for the residents of Kansas.”
The additional resources will support infrastructure initiatives like pavement improvement, safety enhancements and automated weather observation systems.
Kelly also signed into law legislation that named portions of highways to memorialize Kansans, including portions of K-96 as the PFC Henry Lee Fisher Memorial Highway and the 96th Infantry Division Memorial Highway; a portion of US Highway 69 as the Ken W. Brock Memorial Highway; a portion of US Highway 81 as the Merle Miller Memorial Highway; and a portion of US Highway 281 as the First Responders Memorial Highway.