Cloud County selected to be part of bridge improvement plan

Governor Laura Kelly announced Tuesday, December 15, that Cloud County has been selected to receive funding as part of the Kansas Local Bridge Improvement Program (KLBIP).
Kelly and Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) Secretary Julie Lorenz announced the selection as part of the state-local partnership program that is part of the IKE transportation program.  This year's selections include 27 counties and three cities who will receive a combined total of $5.1 million.
“Congratulations to Cloud County for submitting a successful application and securing local matching funds for a bridge project that is critical to the community's success,” Kelly said. “Improving the overall transportation system across our state is integral to our economic recovery, and an important step forward as we work to invest in and rebuild our state's foundation.”
Andy Asch, Highway Administrator of Cloud County Road and Bridge Department, expressed gratitude for Cloud County being selected to receive funding as part of the Kansas Local Bridge Improvement Program.
Asch noted the county would not have been able to proceed with the project without these funds.
The approved project will replace a bridge 4.2 miles east and 2.2 miles north of Glasco on Fawn Road.
KDOT reinstated this bridge program in 2019 to assist cities and counties by providing up to $150,000 toward the replacement or rehabilitation of a bridge on the local roadway system. For this recent round of KLBIP selections, a total of 68 applications from 61 local public agencies were received with requests for $11.4 million in funds. The total value of the individual bridge replacement costs ranged from $150,000 to $2.4 million.
“We welcome opportunities to partner with Kansas cities and counties to replace or rehabilitate deteriorating bridges,” said Secretary Lorenz said. “This program allows KDOT to help communities move forward with projects that keep critical local roadways open and viable.”
The KLBIP targets bridges 20-50 feet in length and with a daily vehicle count of less than 100. Of the nearly 25,000 total bridges on the roadway system- approximately 19,000 of them owned by local entities--over 5,700 have ratings or characteristics that make them eligible for replacement under this program.