This article is taken form the Aug. 3 USDA Grain Transportation Report
The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) is now accepting applications for $10 million of funding available through the State’s Rail Service Improvement Program.
Grant recipients are required to provide 30% of the total project cost.
Qualified entities include any Class II or Class III railroad (i.e., a short line railroad), a Kansas port authority, or any owner or lessee of an industry track located on or adjacent to a short line railroad in Kansas.
Kansas’s Rail Service Improvement Program replaces the State’s Short Line Rail Improvement Fund program (Grain Transportation Report, March 16, 2023, second highlight).
Short lines provide rail access for rural grain producers and reduce overall reliance on trucks, resulting in lower emissions and less road congestion and maintenance.
However, government funding is often needed for adequate resources to maintain short line tracks. Applications are currently being accepted on KDOT’s website through September 1.
Grant-recipient projects are expected to be announced in spring 2024.