The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) has scheduled eight regional meetings to update Kansans on T-WORKS projects in their areas and gather input from the public on how state transportation dollars are being invested. T-WORKS is a $7.8 billion 10-year transportation program passed by the Kansas Legislature in May 2010. Leading up to the passage of T-WORKS, thousands of Kansans participated in local consultation meetings hosted by KDOT to identify regional priorities. These meetings are part of KDOT’s continuing emphasis on collaboration with the public in implementing the T-WORKS program. The dates and locations of the meetings are as follows:

In addition to hearing updates on T-WORKS and KDOT, participants will have a chance to weigh in on transportation priorities in their areas, should funding become available. During breakout sessions, participants will be asked to prioritize projects in their area that could be selected for preliminary engineering. A survey will also be given to participants asking for their input on future alternative revenue sources for transportation.

“When we get together this fall, we want to hear community leaders’ thoughts on a variety of transportation-related topics,” said Deputy Secretary and State Transportation Engineer Jerry Younger. “These meetings are an important part of ensuring that the T-WORKS program is understood and is working for Kansans.”

The T-WORKS program is designed to create jobs, preserve highway infrastructure and provide multimodal economic development opportunities. It includes $4.2 billion in highway preservation projects and $1.8 billion in highway modernization and expansion projects, plus additional funds for transit, aviation, rail and local roads. The program provides a minimum of $8 million in investment in each of Kansas’ 105 counties.