By The Informer Staff

 As part of an effort to maximize resources and reorganize staffing, the Kansas Department of Transportation has announced a plan to reduce its workforce.

The plan, which was submitted to the Kansas Department of Administration on Friday, will impact about 40 headquarters positions, which is less than 5 percent of headquarters staff. 

“Like all state agencies, KDOT is committed to serving Kansans in the most effective and efficient manner possible. This restructuring of headquarters will allow the agency to be fiscally responsible while continuing to focus on its core responsibility of providing a statewide transportation system that meets the needs of Kansas now and in the future,” said Transportation Secretary Mike King.

In an e-mail message to all KDOT workers, King said there are no plans at this time for additional layoffs.

“But it is important that we continue to look for internal agency efficiencies and take whatever action, difficult or not, to realize those efficiencies and resulting cost savings,” he said.

When the Department of Administration has reviewed and approved the plan in the coming days, individual meetings will be scheduled for each employee affected by the layoff. 

“We will ensure our state’s continued status of having one of the premiere highway systems in the country by implementing the T-WORKS transportation program and identifying new economic development opportunities to improve our transportation system and create jobs,” King said.