Kansas Department of Transportation officials said Wednesday they are looking to the Legislature to approve funding for new passenger rail service into the state.

The agency has been working to bring the Heartland Flyer route north from Oklahoma City into Wichita and Newton, and an update was provided during a virtual meeting.  The Heartland Flyer now runs from Fort Worth, Texas to Oklahoma City.   A northward expansion would connect the route with the Southwest Chief that runs through southern Kansas into Newton.

It’s expected to cost around $573 million to expand the route, and Kansas would pay about a third of that cost.  The project has support from local officials along the route, and there is support from federal lawmakers, but KDOT is watching to see how the incoming Trump Administration will address the project.    KDOT is hoping to have the route operating in 2029.