Yesterday the Unified Government was a recipient of some funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Here is where the funding will go in Wyandotte County:

• The transit center at 7th Street and Minnesota Avenue
• 47th Street and State Avenue transit center
• There will be an implementation of a State Avenue Bus Rapid Transit
• Pedestrian improvement

“We are pleased and excited that the State Avenue bus rapid transit project received substantial federal funding today,” Unified Government Mayor/CEO Joe Reardon said. “As we work to create new jobs in our county it is critical that we improve transit for our citizens. This funding will continue to bring to reality our vision to improve public transit in Wyandotte County.”

The State Avenue route connects downtown Kansas City, Kan., to Kansas City, Mo., the Central Business District and Village West.

Of the $50 million provided to the Kansas City area yesterday, the Unified Government and Johnson County will receive $22 million.

The TIGER grant application was submitted through the Mid America Regional Council (MARC).

“I appreciate the hard work of Marcia Bernard who heads up our transit operations, the Mid-America Regional Council and the long-term support we have received from Congressman Moore,”  Reardon said.

The Greater Kansas City will receive $50 million in stimulus funding from the federal government.

The funds, announced by U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, are from the TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) Discretionary Program.

“TIGER grants will tackle the kind of major transportation projects that have been difficult to build under other funding programs,” LaHood said. “This will help us meet the 21st century challenges of improving the environment, making our communities more livable and enhancing safety, all while creating jobs and growing the economy.”

Among the projects included in Kansas City will be funding for State Avenue in Kansas City, Kan. The specific breakdown on how much funding the Wyandotte County project will receive is unknown.

KCK and the Kansas City area were targeted with the funds due to being "economically distressed."

In 2009, the Kansas Department of Transportation received $378 million in stimulus dollars.

KDOT used $348 million on highway projects and an additional $30 million on transit.

“Building roads creates well-paying jobs during construction and provides the infrastructure necessary to both sustain and grow the Kansas economy,” said Transportation Secretary Deb Miller. “And when hundreds of workers spend millions of dollars in thousands of Kansas businesses, it creates a ripple effect felt throughout the local and state economies. The Recovery projects have done exactly what they were intended to do.”

KDOT said over 100 "local projects" across Kansas have been funded because of the stimulus package, which is formally known as the "American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009."

After Kansas Gov. Mark Parkinson announced a transfer of $50 million from the State Highway Fund to the state's general fund, the Kansas Department of Transportation said the cuts will hurt the department in terms of jobs and quality.

So far this year, KDOT has had $229 million in revenue adjustments due to budget cuts.

“These reductions will have long-term fiscal consequences that will require additional spending in future fiscal years to return the system to good condition,” K-DOT Secretary Deb Miller said. "We are filling very few job vacancies and many of our maintenance crews are short-staffed. That means we are able to do less, and there is a consequence to that. If the winter season is significant and prolonged, costs that exceed our budget for salt, sand and overtime must be absorbed with our remaining operating budget authority."

The 2010 construction budget is about 40 percent of the annual construction spending the past 10 years.

KDOT will also limit equipment purchases by 50 percent, cancel several studies and suspend the purchase of equipment for various projects in Kansas.

For those traveling on Interstate 70 soon, there may be a traffic hazard to deal with.

A large bucket of nails was spilled on I-70 Eastbound near the Interstate 635 entry/exit ramp.

Most of the nails are in the middle lane. About five minutes ago, there were some cars backed up.

UPDATE (3:15): If possible, it's probably best to avoid I-70 East for now.

Multiple flat tires are being addressed, according to multiple police/EMS respondents at the scene. The quantity of nails described is "large." 

A "traffic hazard" has been declared.

UPDATE (3:18) : The scene has now been broadoned from 62nd Street to the ramps near I-635. It's being recommended by officials on the scene not to travel on this passage of the highway.

UPDATE (3:25): A few updates –

• At least one driver had multiple flat tires due to the nails.

• The incident is now being described as an accident. The bucket apparently fell from a truck.

• The driver of the vehicle that last the nails has reported back on the scene and said the business will "take responsibility" for the flat tires and accident.

UPDATE (3:52): No major updates in past half hour or so. The Kansas Department of Transportation arrived at the scene earlier in the hour to clear the nails. At least seven cars were lined up along I-70 in need of assistance.

Two 18-year-old Kansas City, Kan., residents were injured in a car accident Monday evening.

Aubree Rose and Allison Murphy were injured after their car had flipped onto its side after it struck the guard wheel. Rowland, the driver of the car, had quickly moved to the right after a second vehicle made a land change to the right in an effort to avoid contact.

The incident occurred on Interstate 35 northbound near Lamar Avenue at about 3:30 p.m. yesterday.

Stuart Lynn Deatherage, 57, was the driver of the second vehicle. He was not injured.

Both teenagers were transported with injuries to the University of Kansas Hospital. Neither were wearing their seat belts.

The ramp from northbound Interstate 435 to westbound Parallel Parkway will be closed after a semi-truck rollover on the ramp.

The ramp will be closed for "several hours" until cleanup efforts are reopened. Drivers in the area will be required to find alternate routes.

A Kansas Department of Transportation project on 57th Street should be completed by the end of the day.

The eastbound lane of 57th Street is being closed for bridge inspection work. Over the past few days, northbound and southbound traffic on the street had short-term lane closures.

The right lane will be closed until 3:30 p.m., but is expected to be opened tomorrow.

A man was killed Friday morning after a Chevy Blazer collided with a Jeep on the Turner Diagonal.

The driver of the Chevy Blazer was traveling northbound on the Turner Diagonal when it crossed the median and struck the the Jeep. The driver of the Jeep was transported to a local hospital, where he later died. A passenger in the Jeep was transported to a hospital with serious injuries.

Meanwhile, the driver of the Chevy Blazer was transported to an area hospital and was treated for non-life threatening injuries.

The Kansas City, Kan., Police Department's Traffic Support Unit/Critical Collision Response Team is investigating the case.

The incident occurred near North 65th St. at 10 a.m.

View Larger Map

The Unified Government is one of among several cities around Kansas City involved in filing a Kansas City Regional TIGER Application.

TIGER, which stands for Transportation Investments Generating Economic Recovery, funds local projects that aim to generate both short and long-term economic impacts.

The requested application is for $87,761,000. Among part of a $28.5 million portion of the grant includes funding for two transit centers in the State Avenue area of Kansas City, Kan.

The Mid-America Regional Council, Kansas City, Mo., Johnson County, Kan., the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority and Kansas City Terminal Railway are among other partners in the grant.

The UG will find out the result of the application in Jan. 2010.

In other transportation news, the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority announced cuts to Wyandotte County's busing routes.

Two of the ATA's six routes in the county will be cut in a cost-cutting measure. The Unified Government will have to ratify the cuts.

Full story: The Kansas City Star