Overland Park officially breaks ground on U.S. 69 toll lanes

Construction has officially begun on the highly anticipated project to build express toll lanes on U.S. 69 Highway in Overland Park.

State and city officials met at the Hilltop Conference Center on Thursday for an official groundbreaking ceremony to mark the beginning of what is expected to be a multi-year process to add toll lanes on the highway between 103rd and 151st streets.

What exactly is getting built?

One express toll lane will be built in both directions between 103rd and 151st streets.
Once completed, two lanes also going north and south will remain free.
Toll rates during peak periods of the day will likely be between $0.25 and $0.32 per mile.

Toll lanes are supposed to manage congestion

The Kansas Department of Transportation lists U.S. 69 as the state’s busiest four-lane highway with an estimated 90,000 vehicles passing through the corridor daily.
KDOT communications director Steve Hale previously told the Post the corridor experiences crash rates 53% above the statewide average due to its heavy traffic.
“[The toll lanes] will help manage congestion and keep traffic moving in all lanes well into the future without having to add additional lanes that would otherwise impact properties and the environment,” acting KDOT Secretary Calvin Reed said Thursday.

Overland Park will contribute $20 million

Overland Park leaders initially wanted to add a third lane along U.S. 69 to help alleviate traffic, but state officials said they did not have the $572 million needed for the project.
Instead, the money collected from the tolls will be used to pay back the funds used to build the toll lanes and maintain them in the future.
Still, critics have questioned whether the toll lanes will be used enough to generate the revenue that will be used to pay back the city’s share.

The project involves more than just toll lanes

Crews will build 11 noise walls and make improvements to the West 167th Street interchange.
Although some lane closures for the project began earlier this year, state officials said Thursday marked the official kickoff for more significant work to start on the project.

The U.S. 69 express lanes are scheduled to be finished by the end of 2025, and the entire project, including the West 167th Street interchange, is anticipated to wrap up by 2026.
“69Express will ensure that commuters can travel quickly and safely to their destinations and that freight is moved efficiently throughout the state,” Gov. Laura Kelly said. “In the process, it will make Johnson County a more effective place for businesses to grow, expand and create jobs for Kansas.”

Go Deeper: New report highlights crash- and congestion-prone stretch of U.S. 69 in Overland Park