The Kansas Department of Transportation is receiving federal funding for a study that will look at modernizing the Canal Route on I-135 in Wichita.
KDOT will get $1.6 million from the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) program from the U.S. Department of Transportation.
The Canal Route includes 53 bridges, two of which are the largest in Kansas, along with two interchanges and four pedestrian bridges. It connects to I-35 and the I-235 bypass and it carries more than 87,000 vehicles daily. The study will look at options for replacing infrastructure along a five-and-half-mile segment of I-135.
It has been 53 years since initial construction began on the canal route. The grant will allow for a study to begin in 2025 and continue through mid-2026. During this time, KDOT will have meetings in Wichita for the public to review information and share input on design alternatives being created. Other study goals are to improve the safety for Canal Route users, increase multimodal connections throughout the study area and employ nature-based solutions to address air quality and stormwater runoff.
Wichita Mayor Lily Wu said in a press release, :”This is a critical next step for KDOT and our community to enhance safety, improve community connectivity and deliver transportation solutions that serve Wichita and our state.”
