TOPEKA, KS — Twenty-three projects have been selected for Kansas Airport Improvement Program (KAIP) funding for the purpose of planning, constructing or rehabilitating public use general aviation airports, according to the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT).

KAIP receives $5 million annually through the T-WORKS transportation program and requires airport sponsors to share in the project costs by paying a minimum of 5 percent of the total project. The KDOT’s Division of Aviation, which manages the program, considered 113 project applications this year with a combined total project value of more than $27 million.

“Transportation provides access to all things important in our lives and aviation is a particularly important mode of transportation for Kansas industry,” said Julie Lorenz, Secretary of Transportation. “These airport improvements are a few of the many important efforts to empower aviation economic growth across our entire state. KAIP has shown great value through the years and will continue under the proposed FORWARD transportation program.”

The selection board identified $4.2 million of improvements to address the top 15 percent most impactful airport improvements across the state.

“Aviation represents $20.6 billion in total economic impact for the state of Kansas,” said Bob Brock, KDOT Director of Aviation. “We’ve assessed the remaining $23.5 million of needs and are working with communities to identify best-value strategic improvements through KAIP.”

Communities selected for funding and amount awarded include: Atwood, Benton, Colby, Gardner, Goodland, Hugoton, Hutchinson, Independence, Newton, Olathe/Johnson County, Olathe/New Century, Parsons, Phillipsburg, Pratt, Rose Hill, Salina, Satanta, Scott City, Smith Center, Tribune, Ulysses, Wellington and Wichita/James Jabara.