Garver to assist KDOT in highway enhancement program

The Kansas Department of Transportation is set to begin the most extensive transportation improvement program in its history – and Garver is set to help guide it through the process.

IKE Transportation Partners (ITP), a joint venture team comprised of Garver and Burns & McDonnell, was selected recently to provide program management services for KDOT’s Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Program (IKE). The 10-year, $10 billion program is set to address major highway preservation, modernization, and expansion projects across the state.

“Efficient and safe transportation systems are not only important for mobility, but also for business and economic development,” said Garver Director of Transportation Jerry Holder, PE. “Kansas, and its residents, will benefit greatly by the completion of this program, and we’re excited to put the program management and project controls tools we’ve developed to work to help KDOT complete it.”

Passed during the 2020 legislative session, KDOT’s IKE Program is aimed at preserving its existing transportation system while also providing flexibility to address current and future challenges. Earlier this year, 40 highway modernization and expansion projects were selected for immediate development, and future projects will be selected every two years. The projects selected will impact every county in the state.

“We know how critical this program is for the people of Kansas, so we’ll work as an extension of the KDOT staff to produce what everyone agrees is best for the state – modern, safe, and flexible transportations systems that will benefit Kansans for years to come,” said Garver Senior Transportation Project Manager Brian Kidwell, who will serve as program manager.

Program management services for KDOT will mirror in part what Garver has been providing the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) since 2012. Financed by a voter-approved half-cent sales tax, ARDOT’s Connecting Arkansas Program consists of 36 highway improvement projects across the state, 28 of which Garver has helped lead to completion or into construction.

Garver’s program management services are also guiding the City of Enid, Oklahoma through the Enid Kaw Lake Water Supply Program, which will provide citizens with a sustainable water supply for up to 50 years.

To read more about Garver’s program management services, read the latest issue of IQ magazine.