Issue 7   |  July 2021
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U.S. 69 Expansion Project Receives Funding and Moves to Construction  
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly has announced that the State of Kansas will provide $280 million in funding for Phase 1 of the U.S. 69 Expansion project - the region’s number one infrastructure priority.   

The state funding, in combination with a $20 million local contribution that will come from revenues from an express toll lane in each direction from 151st to 103rd St., will enable the $300 million project to proceed to construction in 2022 and open to traffic in 2025.   
“This project will enhance accessibility, address long-term safety concerns, and relieve congestion to recruit new businesses and families to Johnson County,” Gov. Kelly said in public remarks delivered July 8 to local citizens and business and elected leaders.  
The project expands U.S. 69 into a six-lane highway with the new lanes being express toll lanes (ETL). ETLs are a new-to-the-region strategy for managing congestion along busy highway corridors like U.S. 69. Other Phase 1 improvements include modernizing existing free lanes of U.S. 69 between 151st and 103rd streets, replacing 50-year-old pavement and the reconfiguring interchanges at Blue Valley Parkway and I-435. The project improves traffic flow for all drivers on U.S. 69, addressing long-term safety concerns and easing congestion. 

In addition to Gov. Kelly’s announcement in Overland Park at CityPlace, U.S. Congresswoman Sharice Davids who represents Johnson County revealed plans for pursuing additional federal funding to help construct a new interchange at 167th Street and U.S. 69 (see article below). The potential investment is part of the INVEST in America Act, which recently passed the U.S. House of Representatives and now is in the U.S. Senate for consideration. A decision on that funding is expected later this fall.  
U.S. 69 Environmental Assessment Continues Moving Ahead 
The environmental assessment (EA) process for the corridor continues to move ahead. The EA documentation is an important component of the Project and documents the impacts the project will have on the human and manmade environment. The EA ultimately determines whether the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) can issue a Finding of No Significant Environmental Impact (FONSI) or an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) must be prepared. 

EA activities going on right now include finalizing the project boundary and collecting study results and feedback from participating agencies. The following milestones will occur in the coming months to ensure the anticipated date of construction groundbreaking can be achieved: 
  • Fall 
  • Noise Study completed – any locations with noise impacts under federal and state standards determined and necessary noise abatement measures identified 
  • Public meeting regarding noise study findings 
  • Creation of an Advisory Group Equity Subcommittee 
  • Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) document prepared and made available for public review and comment  
  • Winter 
  • EA document submitted to Federal Highways Association (FHWA) for review 
  • Public comment period for EA document completed 
  • Public meeting during comment period to address EA 
Potential New 167th Street Interchange Moves One Step Closer to Reality 
A new interchange on U.S. 69 at 167th Street took a major step closer to reality recently with passage of the Invest in America Act (H.R. 3684) in the U.S. House of Representatives. 

The $715 billion infrastructure bill includes a $15 million investment in the interchange planned to more safely and efficiently serve rapidly growing traffic being generated by Bluhawk, the new Advent Health South Overland Park and other recent and planned residential and commercial development in the area. 
The House bill (of which the interchange investment is a part of) has worked its way through the House and was sent to the Senate. After the Senate passes its versions, the two chambers will negotiate with each other to arrive at a compromise version that both can support. 

Should the $15 million federal investment in 167th Street make it into the final legislation adopted by Congress, the money would be combined with additional funds from the State of Kansas and the City of Overland Park and move into construction. This project would be in addition to the $300 million U.S. 69 Expansion Project Kansas committed to funding in early July. 
KDOT Continues Community Discussion on U.S. 69's Future 
The 69Express outreach effort is one of the most extensive public outreach efforts ever mounted by KDOT. Outreach efforts to inform the public about the Project and receive and respond to community feedback can be seen in the corresponding graphic. 
Project engagement and communications have built on outreach efforts conducted over a 20-year period of studying potential U.S. 69 improvements. The 69Express outreach effort will continue throughout the Project's environmental assessment process in 2021, the start of construction in 2022, completion in 2025 and future operations of maintaining the new express toll lanes. 

The next public meeting is slated for Fall 2021. To engage and stay informed about the project, visit the project’s website at www.69express.com or the project’s social media sites on Facebook and Twitter. To submit questions or comments to the Project Team, email [email protected] or visit the project website to submit a question or comment. To receive updates about the project, click here.   

Visit www.69express.org to learn more about the
U.S. 69 Corridor Modernization and Expansion Project.


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