The Kansas Department of Transportation will partner with Overland Park on a big improvement project along Switzer Road, a key upgrade for a major thoroughfare in the southern portion of the city.
On Wednesday, the Overland Park City Council Public Works Committee voted 5-0 to recommend accepting nearly $3.6 million in federal funds from KDOT for the project.
The committee also voted 5-0 to recommend approval of an agreement with Overland Park-based Valbridge Property Advisors for help with land acquisition. The city has budgeted just shy of $116,000 for the agreement.
Councilmember Jim Kite was absent from the meeting. Councilmember Holly Grummert was also absent from the meeting, but Councilmember Inas Younis filled in for her.
Switzer Road work includes new bridge, roundabouts
- The work will focus on Switzer Road between 167th and 179th streets.
- It will include general upgrades, including work on curbs, gutters, streetlights, bike lanes and sidewalks.
- Overland Park also plans to add new roundabouts at 175th and 179th streets.
- The city will add a bridge over Coffee Creek as well.
Switzer Road upgrades to cost $25M+ total
- Overland Park has budgeted $25.2 million for the project to improve this stretch of Switzer Road.
- The award of the money from the federal Surface Transportation Block Grant fund will offset a small portion of that cost.
- Additionally, per the capital improvement plan list, the Johnson County government is expected to kick in around $7 million.
- Overland Park will also use some proceeds from the expanded infrastructure sales tax approved by voters last year and some bonds to finance the rest of the Switzer Road work.
Looking ahead:
- Both agreements related to the Switzer Road project go to the full Overland Park City Council for consideration next.
- The construction project dashboard says the city expects to begin construction on the project in 2026, and work is expected to last through 2027.
- Design and project planning have already begun, according to the capital improvement plan list.
Keep reading: Overland Park, KDOT partnering on major trail connection project at CityPlace
