Governor Laura Kelly announced seven Kansas communities will receive a combined total of $1.47 million through the federal Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grants program. The funds go toward projects that improve safety and prevent deaths and serious injuries on local roadways.
State funding provided by a Kansas SS4A Match Pilot Program will contribute to the local match as required of grant recipients.
“No one can better pinpoint a community’s safety needs than the people who actually live and work there,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “I commend these local governments for leveraging federal and state funding to create safety plans for city streets and county roads.”
Administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Safe Streets and Roads for All is a five-year, $5 billion competitive grant program funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. SS4A plans emphasize responsible driving, safer roadway designs, appropriate speed-limit settings, and improved post-crash care, among other strategies.
Kansas’ largest SS4A grant ($360,000) went to Chautauqua and Elk counties as a joint application. Next was the City of Newton, collaborating with Harvey County ($320,000). Other recipients are Shawnee County and the cities of El Dorado, Eureka, Hutchinson, and Russell.
“Local commitment and regional collaboration were instrumental in bringing Safe Streets and Roads for All funds to Kansas,” Transportation Secretary Calvin Reed said. “KDOT’s help with local matching funds is indicative of the importance the agency places on safety and our long-term goal of reaching zero roadway fatalities.”
The SS4A program is structured so the federal government covers 80% of the planning and demonstration grant costs, and the local government covers 20%. KDOT agreed to cover part or all the local matching funds to encourage participation in this program. To have the full 20% covered by KDOT, an agency had to represent a rural area of the state.
This is the second group of Kansas communities to receive SS4A funding. In February of this year, 12 Kansas communities received a combined total of nearly $5 million, with KDOT contributing to the local match. The USDOT expects to announce additional FY23 awards in December.
Below is an overview of the Fall 2023 awarded projects in Kansas from the SS4A program:
Grant Awardee - Award Amount - % Match from KDOT
Chautauqua County* - $360,000 - 20%
City of El Dorado - $160,000 - 15%
City of Eureka - $140,000 - 15%
City of Hutchinson - $160,000 - 10%
City of Newton* - $320,000 - 15%
City of Russell - $160,000 - 15%
Shawnee County - $168,000 - 10%
Kansas Total - $1,468,000
* Indicates awardee was the lead applicant for a multijurisdictional application.