A possible opportunity has surfaced for federal grant funding to finance the proposed expansion of East Street in Junction City.

The proposed route from I-70 to Grant Avenue in Junction City would also open up traffic access as well to Fort Riley.

Junction City Manager Gerald Smith told a city – county commission meeting a Map 21 funding program might help on East Street.”It’s come to my attention that there’s been a pot of money out there underutilized. In year’s prior the City had not taken advantage of it. Now that we are aware of it going forward we’re certainly going to step into that boat and take advantage of it so that we can see if we can get this thing moving forward.”

Any application for funding would need to be submitted by June.

If any funds were received there would need to be an 80-20 split, with 80 percent of the funding commitment coming from the federal government and 20 percent from a possible combined state and local match.

Local officials do not know how much money is in the grant program, but the City’s Municipal Services Director Greg McCaffrey noted it is substantial.  No final action has been taken in Junction City on the matter at this point.