Mayor Garner Welcomes Infrastructure Funding

Today Unified Government Mayor Tyrone Garner welcomed U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and U.S. Representative Sharice Davids (Third Congressional District) to Kansas City, KS and Wyandotte County for a roundtable discussion and press event highlighting opportunities for infrastructure modernization and equitable mobility within the community.    

This visit was part of the federal government’s outreach to highlight the bipartisan infrastructure bill, which will bring approximately $3.2 billion in new funding to the state of Kansas. Secretary Buttigieg also announced that applications from cities and counties for discretionary grant funds through the USDOT Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) program can be submitted as of today.   

“We are delighted to have the opportunity to host Secretary Buttigieg’s visit and look forward to sharing our plans for transportation and infrastructure improvements,” said Mayor Garner. “Infrastructure enhancements are one of my top priorities for Wyandotte County. Kansas City, KS has more than 270 bridges, and much of our annual maintenance on these structures has been deferred due to budget constraints. I am excited about the opportunity to build on partnerships with the Biden Administration, Secretary Buttigieg, Representative Davids and the rest of our Kansas legislative delegation. As the Vice Chair of the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Rep. Davids has an in-depth knowledge of the infrastructure needs of Wyandotte County. Today’s visit allows us to highlight our dire infrastructure needs that are critical to making Wyandotte County a hub of economic growth and prosperity.”  

With decades of deferred maintenance, the Unified Government has been working to prioritize modernization projects and right-size infrastructure across the community for a more economically and fiscally sustainable future.  

The Mayor also emphasized the Unified Government’s focus on finding ways to invest in community mobility projects and meaningfully expand the quality, safety and reliability of the County’s transportation system.  

Last year, the Unified Government launched goDotte, a comprehensive mobility strategy funded by the Mid-America Regional Council (MARC), to incorporate community priorities, bringing together many disparate planning efforts, and ensuring Wyandotte County has a more sustainable approach to mobility, infrastructure, and land use. These combined efforts by the Unified Government will ensure our infrastructure serves the needs of our community today and into the future. 

Get Engaged

For more information about the goDotte mobility plan, please visit goDotte.com. Mayor Garner also recently announced the formation of seven special committees formed to support the key community-driven priorities embraced by his administration. Two of these, the Committee on Business and Economic Development and the Committee on Community Health and Recreation, will address the importance of infrastructure to the economic growth of Wyandotte County and the quality of life of its residents.   

All of the Mayor’s Special Committees invite public comment, ideas and involvement. If you are interested in volunteering for any of these committees, please complete this short form and we will be in touch!