Emporia will not receive KDOT stimulus money
City doesn't qualify for any of the $11.3 million in stimulus money
By Russ Morgan
Monday, March 23, 2009
According to a press release from the Kansas Department of Transportation, Emporia did not qualify for any of the $11.3 million in federal stimulus money made available for KDOT’s district one for transportation enhancement projects.
KDOT ultimately chose 19 projects for district one and announced the projects today.
The Emporia City Commission recently approved applications for two projects that could have qualified for stimulus money under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The projects were to be shovel-ready road and bridge improvements.
Engineers from each of KDOT’s six districts evaluated and selected the local projects following specified criteria, such as job creation, whether the projects were in economically distressed areas and whether they could be completed in three years, the release stated.
“With many worthy projects submitted for consideration, the final selection was very difficult,” said KDOT deputy secretary Jerry Younger. “But I am confident that the projects selected will enhance local transportation networks and give a boost to the economies in each of the project locations.”
Two projects Emporia submitted applications for were:
F Building a 10-foot wide concrete pedestrian path about 3,400 feet long through Peter Pan Park, connecting Riverside School with West Logan Avenue. The city requested $225,802.
F Building a 10-foot wide asphault pedestrian path about 6,500 feet long around the Jones Aquatic Center. They city requested $481,717.
Cities and counties in district one that qualified for stimulus money include:
• Lawrence
• Manhattan
• Shawnee County
• Leavenworth, three projects
• Atchison County
• Johnson County
• Leavenworth County
• Pottawatomie County
• Burlingame
• Highland
• Oskaloosa
• Troy
• Tonganoxie
• Lansing
• Desoto
• Edgerton
• Wabaunsee County
create (anonymous) says...
I'd sure like to hear about the particulars involved with those projects that were approved and then compare them to the projects for which our city applied. What made theirs so worthy? What was wrong with ours?
March 23, 2009 at 4:12 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
oh4theluvof (anonymous) says...
Doesn't the "economically distressed areas" criteria knock out any projects around here? We only get projects planned or scheduled for the "good" side of town.............................unless, of course, there's State highway money in it.
March 23, 2009 at 4:27 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Bjnemp (anonymous) says...
Perhaps those other cities and counties are blessed with competent and aggressive elected leadership that doesn't cater to special interest groups and their wealthy friends.
March 23, 2009 at 4:30 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
howdo (anonymous) says...
Most of you people would complain about the construction and wish it would end soon anyway, such as you have for the past three years for the KTA project. Maybe these other cities appreciate the jobs and the boost on their economies.
March 23, 2009 at 6:39 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
hottopics (anonymous) says...
I just want to know who designed that cluster of a mess they call the round about. Its a maze and I live here. I cant imagine what newcomers feel trying to figure out how to get to the turnpike or get off. But then again, it does fit our hometown economy, a big puzzle with pieces missing.
March 23, 2009 at 8:35 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
oh4theluvof (anonymous) says...
And one of those semi's almost took out my cousin who was driving behind it. Frighteningly, this happened the day before the fourth anniversary of her older brother's death by semi on Hwy 99. We don't need more of that. Amazing what is seen as health issues around here and what is seen as improvement. I think my health would improve if there was a little more practical foresight.
March 23, 2009 at 9:05 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
glarson (anonymous) says...
For more details on the projects that were funded, go to http://www.ksdot.org/. Recent News Releases is the second box on the page. Click on "77 local projects selected for stimulus funding."
Gwen Larson
March 24, 2009 at 6:08 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )