KDOT outlines 2026-27 budget, flags $400 million 2027 bond issuance and new US 69 Express Fund

KDOT officials presented the department's proposed 2026-27 budget to a Senate Transportation Committee hearing and highlighted three takeaways: sales tax is the largest revenue source; bonding will support near-term project lettings (including a planned $400,000,000 issuance in FY2027 tied to the "Ike" program); and the packet adds a US 69 Express Fund to collect toll revenues for the new express lanes.

"Sales tax is the largest source of revenue to the state for our state our state highway fund," said Bridal Yorkie, assistant director of division administration at KDOT, while walking the committee through revenue snapshots for 2026 and 2027. Yorkie said federal funds are primarily reimbursed after state spending on projects and that motor fuels tax revenue is split so that about one-third goes to cities and counties and two-thirds to the State Highway Fund.

Kyle Anderson, presenting line-item detail, summarized the numbers in the written packet: the SB125-approved FY2026 number was $1,700,000,000; the department's revised FY2026 request showed about…