Topeka ? The Kansas Department of Transportation on Friday announced that it intends to lay off 40 employees at its headquarters office.

Transportation Secretary Mike King issued the following statement: “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.”

He said no additional layoffs are planned at this time, but that the agency would continue to look for cost savings and implement those.

KDOT’s plan has been submitted to the Kansas Department of Administration. Once the plan is reviewed and approved, it will then be implemented, according to a news release from KDOT.

The reorganization will affect fewer than 5 percent of KDOT headquarters staff, the agency said.

Secretary King was appointed to the position in March by Gov. Sam Brownback.

King is the owner of King Enterprise Group, a McPherson construction company. When he was appointed to lead KDOT, King said his company wasn’t involved in any state highway projects, and that he was putting his interests in a blind trust.

King replaced Barb Rankin, formerly KDOT’s chief counsel, who became acting secretary in December following the resignation of Deb Miller. Miller stepped down after nearly nine years as secretary to take a private-sector job.