(KNZA)--The expansion of Jackson County's U.S.Highway 75, from Holton north to K-20, to a four-lane expressway, is among three northeast Kansas projects selected for the " development pipeline" as part of the Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Program (IKE).

The projects total $186 million in infrastructure investment, with $126 million earmarked for the expansion of the 14-mile stretch of U.S. 75.

Word of the funding was delivered in a release Thursday from the office of Kansas Governor Laura Kelly, which says the Governor's announcement "clears the way for preliminary engineering work to begin on these three regional projects."

Kelly, in the release, extended appreciation to 1st District State Senator Dennis Pyle, for his longstanding efforts to advance the project, and also offered praise for community leaders and area residents for pro-actively advocating for U.S. 75 expansion, saying the three projects " tackle long-standing transportation needs across the state - improving safety, expanding economic development opportunities, and strengthening our communities.”

Pyle, in the release, said "the successful community efforts to raise awareness of transportation needs along the U.S. 75 corridor in northeast Kansas makes us all proud,” adding that "the addition of this expansion project to the IKE Development Pipeline is an important step toward enhancing the safety of a vital corridor for commerce and the traveling public it serves.”

The other two projects announced Thursday are the I-35/U.S. 56 interchange modernization project, located in Johnson County, which receives $25 million, and the K-5 modernization project which will reconstruct K-5 on new alignment from U.S. 73 southeast to I-435 in Wyandotte and Leavenworth counties. $35 million is designated for that work.