Kansas Highway Patrol requests $51.7 million to begin reconfiguring Salina campus after needs assessment

The Kansas Highway Patrol on Jan. 29 presented a needs assessment for its Salina facilities and requested up to $51.7 million in state general funds to begin reconfiguring assets on a new or partially new campus.

The study, compiled by Clark and Anderson (lead) with Dewberry contributing public-safety programming, evaluated four planning options and recommended “option 2,” a partial reconfiguration that consolidates most functions on a new campus while keeping the central evidence facility and the outdoor firearms range in their current locations. That option is estimated at $416.6 million, the study found.

Merle Bridal, Executive Officer for the Kansas Highway Patrol, told the Committee on Transportation that the Salina assets “really comprise the heart of our law enforcement operations throughout Kansas.” Bridal said the agency concurs with the report’s recommendation but recognizes the total cost cannot be funded in a single year; the $51.7 million request would fund initial steps for the top priorities.

The consultant presentations described widespread deficiencies at the existing Marymount College campus sites now used by the patrol. Rick Wise, principal with Clark and Anderson, said…