Preparations for the long-awaited Interstate 35 and Santa Fe Street interchange and corridor improvements project planned in Olathe are moving ahead, with work potentially starting as early as this summer.
The project — estimated to cost around $200 million and touted by city leaders as one of Olathe’s biggest infrastructure undertakings ever — will convert the interchange at I-35 and Santa Fe into a single-point urban interchange.
When finished, it is expected to look like the interchange at I-35 and 87th Street where Overland Park and Lenexa meet.
Other plans for the I-35/Santa Fe project include:
- Adding auxiliary lanes on I-35 between 119th Street and Santa Fe
- Repaving of I-35 through that same stretch
- Widespread upgrades to the Santa Fe corridor between Ridgeview Road and Mur-Len Road
- Expansion of the Old Highway 56 bridge flyover
All of that not only improves capacity, but it “greatly increases the safety of the corridor,” said City Engineer Nate Baldwin.
If all goes to plan, motorists can expect to see some early phases of the project’s construction begin as soon as this year, with demolition potentially starting in the summer.
On Tuesday, the Olathe City Council unanimously approved an engineer’s survey and authorized the acquisition of more private property for the project. Essentially, the vote sets up the city to file an eminent domain petition in court in order to acquire 12 additional properties along the corridor to make room for the project.
This is on top of the two pieces of property the city acquired last year.
How does eminent domain work?
Eminent domain is the process through which a governmental entity can take private property for a public purpose with compensation going to the original owner.
City Attorney Ron Shaver said Tuesday that the process begins with the city sending out a mailed notification to property owners that they intend to take their property for a public project, in this case, the Santa Fe and I-35 interchange and corridor improvements.
Olathe then seeks to negotiate a sale with the property owners and makes a formal offer, which can lead to a settlement. The city typically then offers payment to help businesses or homeowners who are displaced relocate.
Even without buy-in from an affected property owner, the city can use the eminent domain process to condemn a property and take it, so long as it compensates the property owner.
From the beginning, Olathe had signaled that it would need to take significant amounts of private property for the full scope of interchange and corridor improvements along Santa Fe. Properties on either side of Santa Fe are required.
With that in mind, the Olathe Chamber of Commerce has tried recently to entice some of these affected business owners to move to vacant storefronts in the city’s downtown.
At the same time, some businesses in the corridor have decided to leave Olathe altogether, like Toni’s Italian Restaurant. The owners of that restaurant turned their focus to a brand new Shawnee location instead. The Double Nickel Bar and Grill also closed their doors at 189 Rogers Road, citing pending corridor improvements.
Some work could start around I-35 and Santa Fe this year
Design for the I-35 and Santa Fe interchange and corridor upgrade project is still underway and is just over halfway done. Still, drivers may see some construction activity in the corridor before too long.
A major step for the project will be demolishing the buildings the city is taking for the project, and Baldwin said that could start as soon as this summer.
Additionally, relocating utilities in the area could also begin later this year, another early step paving the way for the larger improvements to I-35 and Santa Fe.
That would set up the Kansas Department of Transportation to begin its part of the project, focused on I-35, late next year. Olathe expects to begin its part — the new interchange and the corridor improvements along Santa Fe — in 2027.
If that schedule holds, that would put the estimated completion date sometime in 2029.
Baldwin said the goal is to keep I-35 and Santa Fe accessible as much as possible throughout the project.
Santa Fe-I-35 project to cost around $200M
- The most recent project estimate puts the I-35 and Santa Fe project cost at around $199.3 million.
- That includes a $40 million contribution from the city, financed using bonds.
- Additionally, KDOT will kick in $65.2 million for the project.
- The city was also promised a roughly $95 million Infrastructure for Rebuilding America federal grant from the 2021 U.S. Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help pay for the I-35 and Santa Fe project.
Keep reading: ‘Biggest project we’ve ever had’ — Olathe plans $200M to upgrade one of its busiest traffic areas
