City of Abilene Kansas Did Not Make the Cut - But Not Out?
City of Abilene Responds to KDOT Announcement
The City of Abilene and Dickinson County submitted a site that eventually became one of seven finalists in a process facilitated by KDOT to determine the most feasible sites for the development of such a facility. Over 100 sites were submitted by communities throughout Kansas.
The Abilene Site was, unfortunately, not among the two finalists identified for further due diligence at this time. KDOT has elected to move forward with further due diligence on sites submitted by Garden City and Great Bend.
“The City of Abilene is disappointed with the announcement by the Kansas Department of Transportation,” says Mayor Dennis Weishaar. “Disappointment, however, is not the same as loss. The City hopes to continue the conversation about developing the site into a successful transload facility.”
KDOT officials stated that additional due diligence was needed to ensure that the remaining two finalists were viable for development.
The primary issue for the Abilene Site was its location within the 100year floodplain. “KDOT informed the City that they were very interested in the Abilene Site, but that there were several questions about the floodplain and how it could specifically be mitigated,” says City Manager David Dillner. “The City and County is still very interested in moving forward on a trajectory that allows a transload facility to be developed near Abilene, although we have some work to do in order to more fully understand the site and its constraints.”
The Abilene Site has several key advantages, such as access to Interstate 70 and the potential for access to both BNSF and Union Pacific railroads, that make it very attractive for potential development opportunities in the freight industry.
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