Kansas allocates $3.9 million for AI and drone transportation projects
Kansas will spend $3.9 million on artificial intelligence, drones, and smart infrastructure to improve transportation safety and mobility across the state. Gov. Laura Kelly announced the funding Friday through the Kansas Department of Transportation's Innovative Technology Program for fiscal year 2027.
The initiative funds 12 projects designed to modernize transportation systems while expanding access to rural communities. Local governments must match at least 25% of the state funding, bringing total spending to more than $8.1 million.
What the projects include
The funded efforts span several categories:
- AI-driven onboard security monitoring for Johnson County Transit
- Smart signal and pedestrian safety upgrades in Leavenworth
- Nearly $1 million for advanced air mobility aircraft at Kansas State University-Salina
- Intelligent intersection management systems
- Emergency vehicle preemption along the I-70 highway corridor
- Drone delivery system for rural health care in northeast Kansas
Kelly said in a statement that the investments address both rural health care access and intersection safety. "This crucial funding will expand the ways Kansans use and benefit from modern, essential transportation technology," she said.
Part of a larger infrastructure push
The program is part of Kansas' 10-year Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Program, a nearly $10 billion effort to improve the state's transportation infrastructure.
Calvin Reed, Kansas Department of Transportation Secretary, said the local funding match demonstrates community support for deploying new technologies. The requirement ensures projects have backing from the jurisdictions that will operate them.
For government professionals managing transportation or infrastructure initiatives, understanding how AI for Government and AI for Operations apply to these systems can help identify similar opportunities in your jurisdiction.
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