The top transportation official in Kansas says highway projects scheduled for 2015 and 2016 will proceed, despite a projected multi-million shortfall in the state’s budget.

The Kansas Department of Transportation announced in August $1.2 billion in highway projects for the next two years. In November, the state announced it was expecting a $279 million shortfall for this fiscal year and another $436 million shortfall the following fiscal year.

Transportation Secretary Mike King said Wednesday the projects for the next two fiscal years will proceed but he wasn’t as certain about 2017.