Representative Sharice Davids announced a $4 million investment for upgrades to rail crossings in Gardner, Olathe, and Spring Hill, funded through the Department of Transportation’s Rail Crossing Elimination Grant Program. The grants were made possible by the bipartisan infrastructure law, which Davids supported.
Davids expressed enthusiasm for the positive impact the law continues to have in Kansas, noting that these grants will improve safety, reduce traffic congestion, and help prevent accidents at key rail crossings. The projects aim to potentially close at-grade crossings, ensuring safer and more efficient travel for thousands of commuters.
The projects include:
- Gardner: $536,000 for a planning study to eliminate the at-grade crossing at Moonlight Road, enhancing safety and mobility.
- Olathe: $1.75 million for a study of eight at-grade crossings, with a focus on safety improvements such as closures or grade separations.
- Spring Hill: $1.72 million to evaluate closing 12 at-grade crossings and adding a new grade-separated crossing for improved safety.
Local leaders expressed gratitude for the funding, highlighting its potential to reduce delays and improve access to essential services. Davids, the only Kansas representative to support the infrastructure law, emphasized its importance in creating safer and more efficient infrastructure across the state.
More information on how the bipartisan infrastructure law is improving Kansas’ roads, bridges, water and safety can be found here.
