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Local road group asks Linn County to apply for KDOT chip‑and‑seal cost‑share
Summary
Renee Slinker of the Devlin Road Chip and Seal Group urged the county to pursue a KDOT cost‑share reimbursement program that could cover roughly $1 million in construction reimbursement; commissioners said a county road‑study and prioritization plan is underway.
Renee Slinker of Hartford, Kansas, and a representative of the Devlin Road Chip and Seal Group asked commissioners on Aug. 11 to approve applying for a Kansas Department of Transportation fall 2025 cost‑share program that, if approved, would reimburse construction costs and could cover “about a million dollars of construction reimbursement.”
The KDOT program opens Aug. 11 and closes in mid‑September; Slinker said application deadlines mean the county and neighboring Miami County would need to confirm participation quickly. She proposed a joint application—Miami County would contribute roughly two miles and Devlin would contribute about three to three‑and‑a‑half miles—and said she had spoken with county public‑works staff and was prepared to help with the application.
Commissioner Jason said the county has a road study on the agenda that will produce a multi‑year accounting plan prioritizing roads for treatments such as chip‑and‑seal; the study will consider work orders submitted since 2020 and identify high‑risk and priority segments. Jason said that means not every road requesting work will be selected but that concerns raised by residents will be considered in the broader plan.
Slinker said she had collected a petition of residents supporting the work and noted practical impacts—long train crossings and school bus access—and urged commissioners to “keep that in mind.” Public‑works Director Jesse Walton was mentioned as the staff member the group asked to coordinate paperwork; Walton confirmed to commissioners he had been notified and discussed the matter with Slinker.
No formal application or county commitment was recorded as a vote at the meeting; commissioners said the matter would be considered alongside the county’s road‑study work and public‑works planning.
