The Kansas Department of Transportation is asking K-7 drivers for their input as it launches an update to its corridor plan for the highway.
According to KDOT, the current management strategy for the section of K-7/U.S. 169 between I-35 and 215th Street needs to be improved to accommodate the rapid growth and economic development in Olathe and Spring Hill.
The K-7 Corridor Management Plan guides how the 9-mile stretch should grow and function over time. The update will prioritize safety, mobility, semi-truck traffic, land use and economic development over the next 20 years.
KDOT is asking drivers to complete a 17-question survey about their travel habits, biggest concerns on the corridor, priorities for improvements and their vision for development along K-7.
KDOT originally created a K-7 management plan in 2007 and updated it in 2013 and 2015. But the department anticipates continued population, commercial and industrial growth will make the existing plan “unusable or too expensive” to maintain, according to the project description.
According to Census data, Spring Hill is one of the fastest growing cities in Johnson County.
KDOT issued a request for proposals for consultants for the project in March of this year. In the request, KDOT specified the consultant team will need to analyze trends for future growth, traffic projections, crash history and potential impacts to surrounding land.
While KDOT has not set dates for public meetings, the RFP indicates that public engagement would continue into spring of 2026 with the study’s completion date set for that summer. The study would then be used to create the new management plan.
The study, as well as a map for added feedback, can be accessed here.
