KDOT Awards City of Newton $3MM for Rail Extension

The rail extension will serve the planned development of GAF Materials in the Kansas Logistics Park.

The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) announced on Aug. 29 that it has committed $3.04 million to the City of Newton for a rail extension in the 225-acre-plus Kansas Logistics Park, an industrial development on the city’s east side that provides access to BNSF, Union Pacific (UP) and Genesee & Wyoming’s (G&W) Kyle Railroad (KYLE), as well as the Watco short line railroad.

The grant, KDOT says, will fund the rail line extension from Standridge Color Corp. north-northeast to Southeast Ninth Street and south from Standridge across Southeast 12^th Street to serve the planned development of New Jersey-based roofing manufacturer GAF Materials, which has optioned 230 acres of land for a new facility at Southeast 12^th and Hillside in the Logistics Park.

The funds, KDOT says, are contingent upon GAF Materials moving forward with its building plans.