Governor Laura Kelly announced last week, $18.9 million for 53 airport development projects across Kansas. By leveraging local matches, the awards will contribute $95 million in total improvements to the state’s aviation network.
The funding supports the planning, construction, and rehabilitation of public-use general aviation airports, which are critical to the state’s economy and emergency services.
“Investing in Kansas’ airport infrastructure is crucial to enhancing the connectivity that fuels our local economies,” Governor Kelly said. “Through bipartisan collaboration with the Federal Aviation Administration and community leaders, we are leveraging state dollars to make vital improvements that benefit the entire state.”
The Kansas Department of Transportation, Division of Aviation (KDOT Aviation) received 105 applications seeking a combined total of $38.87 million for this round of Kansas Airport Improvement Program (KAIP) grants. Projects were selected from around the state and focused heavily on maximizing the impact of state funding for pavement maintenance, safety enhancements, and air ambulance access improvements.
“Kansas airports are important components of our overall transportation system,” said Secretary Calvin Reed, Kansas Department of Transportation. “The KAIP allows us to work alongside our local and federal partners to deliver a safe, reliable aviation network. By prioritizing safety and preservation today, we are building a transportation system that works for all Kansans well into the future.”
The KAIP program receives $15 million annually through the bipartisan Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Program (IKE). For the first time this year, the program also considered multi-year phased projects to help smaller communities tackle larger-scale improvements over time.
“These projects have a meaningful, real-world impact,” said Courtney Smith, KAIP Program Manager. “Whether it’s helping Greensburg pave its runway years after it was decimated by a tornado or helping Sublette and Chanute support life-saving air ambulance operations, these investments keep Kansas connected.”
Approved FY 2027 KAIP Projects
Northeast Kansas
Johnson County Executive Airport (Olathe): $37,325 to construct Runway 36 runup area
Lawrence Regional Airport: $201,690 to design Taxiway A pavement rehabilitation
New Century Air Center (Olathe): $1,276,248 for Runway 18/36 construction, lighting and signage improvements, taxiway sealing
Philip Billard Municipal (Topeka): $610,218 to rehabilitate taxilanes
Sherman Army Airfield (Fort Leavenworth): $69,102 to seal civilian taxiway and apron
Topeka Regional Airport: $357,012 for apron lighting
Wamego Municipal Airport: $225,000 for Runway 18/36 surface treatment
North Central Kansas
Abilene Municipal Airport: $292,500 to construct T-hangar
Alfred Schroeder Field (Hillsboro): $250,115 to crack seal and seal coat pavement
Belleville Municipal Airport: $54,000 to replace aviation fuel tanks
Ellsworth Municipal Airport: $247,500 to construct taxilanes
Hiebert Airfield (Goessel): $4,365 for Runway 18/36 water runoff project
Mankato Airport: $243,000 for Phase 1 pavement rehabilitation and runway lighting
Minneapolis City-County Airport: $19,440 to crack-seal runway
Washington County Veteran’s Memorial Airport: $1,200,000 for runway rehabilitation
Northwest Kansas
Atwood-Rawlins County Airport: $78,300 to reconstruct terminal building
Phillipsburg Municipal Airport: $562,500 to install above-ground fuel tanks
Goodland Municipal Airport: $700,020 to install above-ground fuel tanks
Russell Municipal Airport: $108,000 to reconstruct taxilane
Shalz Field (Colby): $441,000 for site work for FAA-funded hangar project
Southeast Kansas
Chanute Martin Johnson Airport: $479,900 for fuel farm Phase 1 and Runway 18/36 rehabilitation
Coffeyville Municipal Airport: $394,740 to reconstruct hangar approach pavement
Garnett Municipal Airport: $46,500 for runway reconstruction and realignment design
Lt. William M. Milliken Airport (Eureka): $180,000 to reconstruct apron/taxilane
Miami County Airport (Paola): $675,000 to reconstruct east taxilanes and hangar ramps
Oswego Municipal Airport: $270,000 for runway preservation and crack sealing
Ottawa Municipal Airport: $603,000 to design Runway 17/35 and parallel taxiway
Tri-City Airport (Parsons): $536,670 for pavement portion of parallel taxiway project
South Central Kansas
Anthony Municipal Airport: $220,410 to construct hangar access taxiway
Cook Airfield (Rose Hill): $796,500 to widen Runway 17/35
Captain Jack Thomas Memorial (El Dorado): $61,000 for Runway 15/33 rehabilitation
Greensburg Municipal Airport: $1,600,000 to pave Runway 18/36
Pratt Regional Airport: $31,145 to reseal joints and replace runway panels
Stafford County: $90,000 for airport layout and planning (contingent upon public status)
Strother Field (Winfield): $270,000 to crack seal and seal coat Runway 13/31
Southwest Kansas
Harold Krier Field (Ashland): $281,700 for runway design and land acquisition
Dodge City Regional Airport: $1,300,000 for new hangar and above-ground fuel tanks
Hugoton Municipal Airport: $36,500 to reconstruct airport entrance road
Jetmore Municipal Airport: $572,400 to replace navaids and runway lighting
Kearny County Airport (Lakin): $1,112,500 for runway turnarounds and apron reconstruction
Mark Hoard Memorial Airport (Leoti): $88,830 to install jet fuel tank
Mid-America Regional Airport (Liberal): $127,500 to design new terminal building
Ness City Municipal Airport: $405,000 for hangar taxilane reconstruction
Satanta Municipal Airport: $119,250 for runway preservation and re-striping
Stanton County Municipal (Johnson City): $495,000 to reconstruct taxilane
Sublette Municipal Airport: $231,300 to construct apron
Ulysses Airport: $800,000 to reconstruct west hangar taxilane
To learn more about KAIP, visit the KDOT Division of Aviation website here.
