Truckers hauling goods and materials on I-83 in Kansas are expected to benefit from the $14.6 million Great Plains Rural Freight Technology Corridor Project designed to provide real-time traffic and weather alerts.
“My administration is expanding innovative technology across rural areas of our state to improve safety, shore up our supply chain, and drive down the costs of transporting goods,” Governor Laura Kelly reportedly said. “I commend the public and private collaboration responsible for securing the funding for a project that will improve delivery of agriculture products and other freight along an essential Kansas corridor.”
The state received a $6.67 million Advanced Transportation and Congestion Management Technologies Deployment grant from the Federal Highway Administration in August. The funds are being integrated into the 100-mile infrastructure project which serves a dual purpose. Installing 100 miles of fiber optic cable will improve internet access for rural communities while also enhancing communication along the primarily agricultural truck route.
“(These) grants promote innovations that help expand access to transportation for communities in rural areas and cities alike, improve connectivity, and prepare America’s transportation systems for the future,” Acting Federal Highway Administrator Stephanie Pollack reportedly said. “The Kansas project will use advanced technologies to help improve freight operations.”
The two-lane north-south interstate is used by upwards of 5,000 heavy-duty commercial vehicles daily. Over 40 percent of Kansas’ agricultural exports originate along the I-83 corridor to the tune of $21 billion. Ranked as the sixth largest agricultural economy in the union, the bulk of the state’s growers, ranchers, and biodiesel producers are concentrated in counties that include Thomas, Logan, Gove, Scott, and Finney. The five municipalities run 130 miles along I-83.
“Traffic averages 2,500 to 5,000 vehicles per day in the corridor’s middle to more than 10,000 per day at either end where agricultural product manufacturers and distributors are most concentrated,” Steve Hale, a spokesman at the Kansas Department of Transportation, reportedly said.
Officials traveled to McCarty Family Farms in Colby, Kansas, to make an official announcement. The fourth-generation dairy farmers reportedly penned a letter of support for the infrastructure project. The rural community and seat of Thomas County will be directly affected by the broadband installations along I-83. Kansas Transportation Secretary Julie Lorenz and Secretary of Agriculture Mike Beam were on hand for the announcement.
“To deliver for Kansas, transportation and AG need to be good partners. This project is one of several collaborations with Department of AG, coming from last year’s HomeField Advantage conference where we focused on the intersection of AG, transportation and technology to make the Kansas economy work better today and into the future. This is a great project that improves freight flow, safety and could get broadband to rural areas more cost-effectively,” Secretary Lorenz reportedly said. “Getting broadband to rural areas more cost-effectively by leveraging the state’s right of way is smart,” Secretary Lorenz said. “This will expand access to broadband and open more opportunities for Kansans to utilize technology in their homes and businesses.”
Truckers moving farm products and materials can anticipate receiving real-time alerts regarding lane closures, accidents, and severe weather, allowing drivers to utilize their hours of service effectively and travel more safely.
Sources: hpj.com. highways.dot.gov, ksdot.com, ttnews.com
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