The total amount of awards stands at nearly $3.9 million, a relatively modest amount, but it will help small and larger towns, counties and a community college, and others, tap into some of the newest and hottest tech for safety, mobility and access.
The 12 projects funded through the Kansas Department of Transportation’s (KDOT) Innovative Technology Program for the 2027 fiscal year also reflect some of the trends helping to drive the business of government technology — AI, “smart” signals and drones, for instance.
“With projects ranging from bolstering rural health-care services to improving safety at intersections — we are making smart, targeted investments to improve quality of life for Kansans across the state,” Gov. Laura Kelly said in a statement. “This crucial funding will expand the ways Kansans use and benefit from modern, essential transportation technology.”
Award recipients put up at least 25 percent in matching funds, contributions that bring the total funding for the projects to $8.1 million, according to the statement.
The funding stems from the state’s broader and deeper decadelong Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Program, a $10 billion program that goes by the nickname IKE.
Some examples of projects include:
- Nearly $100,000 toward advanced air mobility aircraft procurement for Kansas State University-Salina
- $750,000 for rural health-care drone delivery for the Community Healthcare System of NE Kansas
- About $141,000 for smart signal upgrades for the city of Liberal
- About $47,000 toward a digital twin pilot for intelligent intersection management at the University of Kansas
- Almost $113,000 for AI-driven onboard security monitoring for Johnson County Transit
