The City of Great Bend Public Works Department announced Thursday morning the receipt of a $58,802.25 grant totaling for the traffic signal battery back-ups project. This comes through the Kansas Department of Transportation’s Innovative Technologies Program. 

“This grant, awarded by the State of Kansas, will play a crucial role in enhancing the city’s infrastructure and ensuring the reliability of traffic signals,” said Public Works Director Jason Cauley. “The funds awarded are a testament to the merit and importance of the project that will address critical needs within our community, promoting safety and efficiency in our transportation systems.”

In the coming months, Public Works will receive a city/state agreement for the grant award, which will require official signatures. Upon completion of this agreement, the department will be issued the notice to proceed and reimbursement request form to initiate the project.

Cauley estimates that the actual installation is at least three months out.

“We have installed two of these and found that they were successful,” Cauley said. So, he applied for the funds to cover the lights on the major highways, as well as two on Broadway.

“When the power goes out, the traffic signals will still work,” he said. The batteries, installed in the lights’ control cabinet, will trickle charge when not in use.

This is a matching grant in which the city will match $19,600, help with preliminary engineering, and design and take over ongoing operations and maintenance.

“The City of Great Bend is committed to the successful completion of the traffic signal battery back-ups project and acknowledges its responsibility in ensuring the project’s comprehensive development and sustainability,” he said. “Overall, it’s a wonderful award and it will help Great Bend’s signals reliability for the future.” 

For further information or inquiries, contact Cauley at 620-793-4150 or jcauley@greatbendks.net.