The new K-10 West Interchange with I-35 and I-435.Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and local officials recently held a ceremony recognizing the opening of the second phase of Johnson County Gateway project near Kansas City, a project aimed at relieving congesting and improving safety in the area.
It includes two new interchanges connecting Interstate 35 and I-435 and Kansas 10, allowing for improvements to the Lenexa, Olathe and Overland Park areas.
The first phase widened I-345 with additional lanes and was opened in 2013. The final phase will add lanes to Kansas 10 and I-435 and provide updates to two interchanges. This third phase has yet to be funded.
The $296 million project, which includes $266 million in federal funding, is the first project in Kansas to use design-build contracting.
“The design-build contracting approach allows states to deliver projects more quickly and more cost-effectively,” Deputy Administrator Kim said. “Through our Every Day Counts initiative, the FHWA encourages innovations such as these that save time and money for U.S. taxpayers.”
Roughly 230,000 vehicles per day are estimated to travel through the highways affected by the project. That volume could increase by more than half by 2040, officials estimated.
