Here are my draft comments for the January 8th meeting in Topeka about transportation planning in Kansas. Our plan is to separate ourselves from some of the others who will be speaking but avoiding "death by power point." There will be relevant handouts put together by the County, the City, Airport Authority and the chamber.
I welcome your input…
1. KDOT is considering a new business model for decision making. This is a good thing. A model for making hard choices exists.
Economic development projects have to consider things such as labor, access to suppliers and customers, land plus their transportation needs. A project may easily have highway, rail, transit and aviation needs. Building separate "silos" around each of these modes of transportation does not reflect the reality of site location/expansion decisions. A new KDOT decision making model should match thinking with the logic of employers.
Kansas has the fourth most paved roads in America. We aren't the fourth largest or the fourth most populated. A new approach is needed. An aspect of decision making is making tough decisions. A good model is exists for critical thinking. The Saline County non-city road and bridge system was based in the late 19th century. The system is now moving toward a 2-mile grid system designed for the second decade of the 21st century. The Saline County commissioners and their staff used a decision making model that others in Kansas can copy for making tough decisions. The approach was logical and reflected critical thinking.
We need an appropriate response from the State. Saline County's road system is going to be "healthier" because the percent of deficient bridges has declined. KDOT policy must reward this behavior and should not punish Saline County because it is "healthier" by reducing state assistance for roads and bridges. If the state's response is "the patient healed themselves so here is significantly less money.", then no other county will follow Saline's lead. A funding formula needs to be both "carrot" and "stick". This approach will not punish counties that make tough decisions – yet it realizes that not ever county (for various reasons) is able to make the same decisions as Saline County has done. Legislators and KDOT should ask Saline County leaders for input.
2. A Shorter Planning Cycle = Transportation Infrastructure that Stimulates Job Creation
Transportation infrastructure must meet the unique needs of industrial targets. For example, a company making windmill blades might have 160 foot trucks to ship product to customers. Ninety degree left hand turns are a real problem. The ideal site for a windmill manufacturing
operation will have very gradual on/off ramps from the Interstate. There should be minimal turns and immediate rail access.
Ten years ago, the windmill industry was not booming. A shorter KDOT planning cycle (the cycle is currently a decade) will allow Kansas to identify the transportation needs unique to high growth industries and position Kansas to attract capital investment.
I know of one state that has a designated "wind doctor" because these projects have unique transportation needs. They have attracted windmill makers – and those jobs. A shorter planning cycle will help Kansas be more flexible and aggressive to attract growth, whether it is wind energy or the next emerging industry.
3. The Money to make it Happen
The Secretary of Transportation should have discretion and sufficient resources to help fund significant projects. Think about the Great Plains Regional Training Center. The evolution of the Smoky Hill Bombing Range from a military facility to a military and civilian training center is profound. Civil defense teams across Kansas prepare for train derailments, winter search and rescue operations and other situations. The transportation needs around the range and center are quickly changing. Improving the roads near the bombing range now has statewide impact because it is no longer just a Saline County road; it is the entrance into an important military and civilian training installation.
Consider an economic development project needing transportation infrastructure improvements. KDOT provides a $500,000 low interest loan to fund enhancements. For the same project, I know of a state that can provide a $1,200,000 grant - of which only $240,000 needs to be provided as a local match. Criteria should be established and priority should exist to fund transportation projects so we can be responsive to existing firms or new employers. There is no getting around it – it will take more money to fund a transportation system that will help Kansas grow.
4. The Salina area has a number of projects that merit support and we have provided a unified response
Saline County, the City of Salina, the Salina Airport Authority, OCCK and the Salina Chamber of Commerce endorsed a common vision for our area transportation needs. There was cooperation developing our list because we know that KDOT has been very good to Salina during the past several years. We are grateful for KDOT's support and we are eager to help continue progress for our region and for the entire state.
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