Olathe plans to overhaul the last “rural” stretch of Black Bob Road in a growing corner of the city with a $17.4 million project that will widen the roadway and address concerns about traffic safety.
Last month, the Olathe City Council voted 5-0 to authorize the Black Bob Road improvement project focused on a stretch between 153rd Terrace and 159th Street.
The city council also approved an agreement with Johnson County to accept a $3.8 million contribution to the project from the County Assistance Road System program.
Both votes on the Black Bob Road project were included on the city council’s consent agenda on Jan. 21, which means they weren’t individually discussed but considered alongside a series of other items in one vote.
Councilmembers Kevin Gilmore and Matthew Schoonover were absent from the meeting.
(North of Interstate 35 and south of 175th Street, Black Bob Road is called Lackman Road.)
There are safety concerns on Black Bob Road
- The city has identified this particular project as a key priority in Olathe’s Transportation Master Plan due to a crash rate of more than four crashes per million vehicle miles traveled on the road.
- That’s nearly triple the statewide average, according to the city’s capital improvement plan for 2025.
- Additionally, this is the last portion of Black Bob Road left unimproved to city standards within Olathe’s boundaries.
Olathe will widen Black Bob Road
- Olathe will improve Black Bob between 153rd Terrace and 159th Street, per city documents.
- Currently, Black Bob is a two-lane rural road, lacking curbs, gutters and sidewalks along this stretch.
- When work is done, Black Bob will be a four-lane road, complete with curbing, gutters, medians, bike lanes, sidewalks and streetlights.
- Construction is scheduled for 2025 and 2026.
Olathe, JoCo partnering on more Black Bob roadwork
- In addition to the improvements Olathe is planning on Black Bob Road between 153rd Terrace and 159th Street, the county and the city are splitting an additional $16.1 million upgrade project.
- That work will focus on Black Bob Road from 159th and 167th Street, which will also become a four-lane road with sidewalks, bike lanes, curbs and gutter.
- The city transportation plan also considers this project to be a priority.
- Johnson County’s 1,200-acre Heritage Park is located off Black Bob Road, roughly between 159th and 175th streets.
Residential development is picking up in the area
- Some neighborhoods have been located in the area surrounding Heritage Park for several years, but there’s been a recent increase in additional residential development nearby.
- Habitat for Humanity of Kansas City is building a 14-home pocket neighborhood near the intersection of 159th and Black Bob Road.
- The Olathe City Council also approved a 305-home neighborhood called Heritage Ranch at a different corner of the same intersection last year.
More Olathe traffic improvement news: This busy Olathe street has a high crash rate. City OKs $20M+ to improve it.
