Kansas awards 13 projects $3.5M in Innovative Technology Program grants

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The Kansas Department of Transportation recently awarded 13 projects statewide $3.5 million in Innovative Technology Program grants.

The program invests in projects that implement new transportation technology and improve access, safety, or mobility. It is part of the bipartisan 10-year, $10 billion Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Program.

“New and emerging technologies offer the potential for a safer, more efficient transportation system,” Transportation Secretary Calvin Reed said. “This latest round of Innovative Technology projects demonstrates how Kansas communities are proactively turning to technology to improve operations for now and the future.”

Under the Innovative Technology Program, all transportation system projects are eligible and are required to provide a minimum 25 percent local match.

The selected projects include traffic engineering and school zone enhancements, aviation and rail upgrades, and truck simulators for CDL program expansion.

Awardees include:

Kansas State University – Salina was awarded $1 million for its Advanced UAS Flight Operations and Simulation Center.

Bestifor was awarded $959,925 for a rail freight bulk scale.

Salina Regional Airport was awarded $900,000 for a clean-agent fire suppression system.

Seward County Community College was awarded $335,625 for truck simulators to expand its commercial driver’s license program.

The City of Overland was awarded $131,249 for the Safety View software application.