TOPEKA, KS — Governor Laura Kelly joined Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) Secretary Calvin Reed, agency staff, and local leaders to celebrate the ribbon cutting of the new KDOT District One - Northeast Kansas headquarters campus in Topeka.
“By providing KDOT District 1 a state-of-the-art headquarters, we’re ensuring that staff have what they need to keep our state moving forward — literally and figuratively," Kelly said. “This workspace matches the caliber of KDOT employees and their expertise and supports the incredible work the agency does for Kansans every day.”
The ribbon cutting featured remarks from Kelly, Reed, KDOT Bureau Chief of Maintenance Robert Fuller, and representatives from the project’s architecture and construction teams, HTK Architects and Crossland Construction Company, followed by a reception and tour of the new 73,000-square-foot building.
“Thanks to the support of Governor Kelly and the Kansas Legislature, KDOT’s District 1 now has facilities that support the work they do to keep Kansans moving,” Reed said. “This is truly a building we can be proud of that creates a more efficient and safer environment for our most important resource — our employees.”
The headquarters serves KDOT’s northeast Kansas operations and includes updated offices, meeting spaces, and maintenance shops with 15 heavy-duty vehicle work bays used to service highway maintenance equipment. The district oversees maintenance and operations of the state transportation system across 17 counties in northeast Kansas.
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The new facility replaces the previous district office, which was built in 1936 when KDOT was the Kansas Highway Commission. Although additions and renovations were made over the years, the building no longer met the needs of modern operations. A feasibility study completed in 2007 found that a new facility would improve operational efficiency and reduce long-term maintenance costs. Kelly included funding for the project in her fiscal year 2023 budget.
HTK Architects, of Topeka, led the design. Crossland Construction, headquartered in Columbus, Kansas, served as the general contractor for the $24 million project. Construction began in fall 2024.
Future plans for the site include a District One Materials Lab and a state surplus warehouse. The property includes parcels previously owned by KDOT, acquired from the Kansas Turnpike Authority, and purchased from a private owner.
