Editor’s note: This story was updated at 9:41 a.m. Thursday to include the total project cost.
Drivers in Mission and northern Overland Park who cross the Metcalf Avenue bridge over Johnson Drive should prepare for disruptions next year.
The Mission City Council during next week’s meeting will consider an interlocal agreement with the Kansas Department of Transportation and the city of Overland Park for improvements to the Metcalf Avenue/U.S. Highway 69 bridge over Johnson Drive.
City leaders anticipate the project to kick off in early 2026 alongside a $13 million Johnson Drive rehabilitation project from the bridge itself to Lamar Avenue.
A look at the project
Public Works Director Stephanie Boyce told the city’s community development committee on Nov. 5 meeting that this Metcalf Avenue project is years in the making.
The bridge’s age, deterioration and vertical clearance actually calls for a full replacement of the structure, Boyce said, referring to a conceptual study by KDOT in 2023-24 calling for the bridge’s replacement. Still, the cost of that replacement is more than what is available in the current priority bridge replacement program, though, she added.
Until the bridge itself is replaced, the plan is to make improvements to the existing structure, Boyce said.
Boyce said the following changes are planned as part of the proposed interlocal agreement:
- Repairs to the bridge deck and concrete columns
- A mill and overlay of the asphalt near the bridge
- Streetlight replacements along the corridor
- An extension of the northbound auxiliary lane between 58th and 56th streets
Additionally, Boyce said she believes that the only footprint change to the bridge and its surrounding area will be the closure of the south ramp on the Overland Park side that loops around to northbound Metcalf Lane.
The repairs are projected to extend the bridge’s life by 10 to 15 years, she said.
Boyce told the Post via email on Wednesday morning that there is no cost-share with the cities for this project. Later in the day, a representative from KDOT confirmed via email that the total project cost is about $2.15 million.
All Johnson Drive repairs are to start early next year
Boyce said the cities of Mission and Overland Park have worked with KDOT to ensure this bridge project can occur at the same time as the Johnson Drive rehabilitation project.
If the city council approves the interlocal agreement at its Nov. 19 meeting, then the cities will be on track for these projects to start at the same time in early 2026, she said.
The Johnson Drive improvement project calls for a complete rehabilitation between the bridge itself and Lamar Avenue.
That includes the following upgrades:
- Curb and pavement replacement
- Upgraded stormwater
- Wider sidewalks
- New streetlights and traffic signals
- Native plantings and trees
Crews are already working on utility relocation along this stretch of Johnson Drive.
Next steps:
- The Mission City Council at its Nov. 19 meeting is anticipated to consider approval of the interlocal agreement.
- The meeting starts at 7 p.m. at city hall, 6090 Woodson St.
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