Kansas marks the latest state to consider taking advantage of a provision under the last highway bill that allows states to sell advertising and sponsorships at rest areas.
The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) is seeking sponsorships to help defray the cost of technology needed to bring a wireless portal to the state’s highway rest areas, the Topeka Capital Journal has reported.
Money from the sponsorship would be used to offset the cost of Wifi technology or touch-screen kiosks used to support a web portal housing information about road construction, traffic tie-ups, detours, weather, Amber Alerts, travel tips and nearby attractions. Sponsorship funds also will be used to off-set maintenance costs.
So far, four rest areas have piloted the Wifi portal access, according to published reports, including along US-400 near Beaumont; along Interstate 70 near Paxico and Ruleton; and along Interstate 35 near Williamsburg.
Kansas joins Iowa, Virginia and Ohio in pursuing the potential revenue streams from sponsorships. KDOT aims to have its sponsor and the technology in place by July 1.
The federal highway transportation bill signed into law in 2012 allowed states to sell advertising and sponsorships at rest areas.
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