KDOT postpones road projects in wake of state’s budget shortfall
Another 10 road projects have been postponed indefinitely in Kansas.
The state’s financial struggles and budget shortfall continue to be the reason, Kansas Department of Transportation spokesman Steve Swartz said Wednesday.
“We would be doing more projects if there wasn’t some uncertainty right now,” he said. “But we certainly hope that as we go forward, we’ll be able to do more of these projects. But we just don’t know where we stand right now.”
The state had originally planned to put 18 projects with estimated construction costs of around $24.7 million out to bid for work next month. That number has now been trimmed to eight projects that will cost $7.25 million.
Among the postponements is a $1.1 million bridge project on U.S. 54 in Butler County near Wichita.
The move is similar to one the department made last month when it indefinitely postponed 24 road projects that would have cost $32 million.
The state faces a projected $348 million budget shortfall this year with a larger shortfall of $582.6 million on track for the next fiscal year.
The financial uncertainty has led KDOT to continue making decisions on which projects to put out to bid on a month-to-month basis, Swartz said.
Bob Totten, executive vice president of the Kansas Contractors Association, said he thinks the delays are a trend that could continue into February and March.
“It’s unfortunate,” Totten said. “We’re the industry and this is work. This gives us an opportunity to do a job, and of course we want to do the projects because that’s how construction companies make money. But if we don’t have the work, and I’m taking it to the next step, then the people we employ, we don’t need you around.”
Other postponed projects include:
▪ A $13.5 million expansion project on U.S. 169 in Montgomery County in southeast Kansas.
▪ A roughly $745,600 street restoration project in Riley County, where Manhattan is located.
This story was originally published December 14, 2016 at 2:07 PM with the headline "KDOT postpones road projects in wake of state’s budget shortfall."