LARNED – Needing an estimated $7.5 million to construct and surface the roadway accessing the site of the Innovative Livestock Service’s feedlot expansion project in Pawnee County, the Pawnee County Commissioners are seeking grant funding opportunities through various resources.

Last June, the Commissioners approved an application to the Kansas Department of Transportation asking for 90% of the estimated cost to pave D Road in Pawnee County, expecting to contribute a 10% match amounting to about $379,000, if awarded.

The grant was approved; however, the it was for considerably less than expected.

At their Aug. 18 regular meeting commissioners discussed receiving a grant in the amount of $2 million, about 26% of the amount requested. Discussion of funding to date indicated that with the $2 million grant, approximately $400,000 from county reserves and a $400,000 contribution from ILS was available.

Other grant applications are being considered, including a KDOT cost share for road rehabilitation requiring matching funds. Applications for this extremely competitive cost share grant close on Sept. 18 and more than 30 applications have already been received.

In the meantime, heavy equipment has already been dispatched to the ILS site for excavation work. Current funding would cover a small portion of 90th Avenue and D Road near to the site. The county has considered utilizing E Road for access, but that would require additional paving due to the fact the original roadway surface was not designed for continuous heavy truck traffic. The cost of that hot-mix resurfacing is estimated at $800,000.

Completion of the feedlot is estimated to be sometime in 2027.