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Montgomery County seeks federal RAISE grant to pave and extend roads near Bartlett
Summary
County officials held a town hall to discuss a proposed $15.5 million road project that would pave and extend County Roads 53100 and 44100, improve access to U.S. Highway 160 and cover most costs through a federal RAISE grant and a Build Kansas match; local right-of-way and community impacts were discussed.
Montgomery County officials held a town-hall meeting to outline a proposed road project near Bartlett and to solicit public input as part of a RAISE (Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity) grant application to the U.S. Department of Transportation.
County Administrator Jonathan Caboo said the project area focuses on County Roads 53100 and 44100 and U.S. Highway 160 and would create a new paved connection north from 53100 around a hill near the county landfill to meet 44100. "RAISE stands for rebuilding American infrastructure with sustainability and equity," Caboo said, explaining the federal program and why the county was hosting the meeting.
The county provided a preliminary cost estimate for the project of about $15,517,011. Caboo said the RAISE grant would cover 80% of the cost and that the county has applied for Build Kansas funds through the Kansas Department of Transportation to cover the 20% match. He said the county's required local share would be 5% of the remaining cost and cited a local contribution figure of $155,170.11 for a roughly $15.5 million project. Caboo said right-of-way acquisition is projected at about $500,000 and that the grant can fund some right-of-way costs.
If awarded, Caboo said the county expects the federal review and merit-based competition to run through the spring and that award decisions would be announced in June 2025. "Once we know if we've got the grant, which hopefully we do, we begin negotiations with the Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration on project scope," he said, adding that the county would then finalize the budget and seek bids.
Project design details discussed at the meeting include widening and paving existing gravel segments of 53100 and 44100, cutting the grade on a steep section near the landfill to reduce slope for heavy truck traffic, and adding an intersection where the new alignment meets 44100. Caboo said the plan routes the new road around a steep portion of the hill rather than cutting through the worst grade and that the alignment would remove some trees in a relatively flat segment.
County staff and residents discussed safety and traffic concerns on U.S. 160, which currently lacks shoulders, and heavy truck loads that use 53100 as Bartlett's main entrance. Caboo said extending 53100 north would create a loop to reduce truck congestion on Highway 160 and improve safety: "...it gives trucks, in the heavier traffic, the ability to exit towards the North and allow other traffic to come in from the South," he said.
Residents raised questions about property impacts from ditching and right-of-way acquisition. One resident asked, "That's gonna widen, then you gotta cut new ditches, so then you're in my property," and Caboo replied that the county understands right-of-way acquisition will be necessary and that the county has funds for acquisitions in addition to grant assistance.
Public commenters also raised concerns about snow, steep grades and high speeds where paved roads transition to gravel. Caboo acknowledged those safety issues and described alternatives the county might pursue if the RAISE grant is not awarded, including smaller projects on 53100 funded by other grants. He said the county would still consider proceeding with improvements if a prospective large employer (referred to in the meeting as "Azure") decided not to locate in the area, calling the road investment a demonstration of good-faith efforts to recruit industry.
Caboo said the county requested about 35 letters of support for the application and had received roughly 15 at the time of the meeting, including letters from municipalities, schools, local fire departments, police departments and chambers of commerce. He urged community feedback and closed by saying the county would keep the public updated as the application progresses.
No formal board action or vote was taken during the town hall; the meeting served as public outreach required as part of the grant application process.
