By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Since 2010, the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) has given local entities the opportunity to exchange federal funds for road projects for cash-in-hand to use on local projects. Tuesday morning, County Engineer Barry McManaman asked the Barton County Commission for approval to use the program again this year.
"KDOT has sent us the annual agreement offering to exchange our federal funds at a rate of 90 percent," he said. "If we were to go for a full design of a federally-funded project, the amount would be $183,115.66. As has been the program for many years, KDOT offers to pay us 90 percent of that amount so we can use the money for a road or bridge project in the county at our discretion."
KDOT will pay Barton County $164,804.09 through the exchange. McManaman and the commissioners were pleased that the 2024 figure closely resembles last year's amount of approximately $171,000 after discussion of budget cuts last year. The funds will be deposited in the Road and Bridge Fund - State Funds Received.