More express toll lanes in Johnson County? Kansas talks of adding them to crowded K-10
As Kansas’ first-ever express toll lanes are under construction on U.S. 69 in Overland Park, the state is now considering adding more to ease congestion on another highway in Johnson County: Kansas 10.
The Kansas Department of Transportation is studying how to address traffic and safety issues on the 17-mile stretch from the interchange with Interstates 435 and 35 in Lenexa, west through Olathe and De Soto to the Douglas County line. And officials said one option could be widening the highway with one express toll lane in each direction. The other lanes would remain free.
“Expanding K-10 with express lanes is one option being considered,” Steven Cross, KDOT project manager, told the Star in an email. “This can be a good solution for addressing long term congestion especially on corridors like K-10 which are anticipated to experience continued growth in traffic.”
Officials presented the idea to the Olathe City Council last week, and plan to provide similar information to the Lenexa City Council on Sept. 5. While the express lanes are being discussed at length, KDOT is considering several other options, Cross said, including a traditional widening project without tolls, expanding alternate routes or adding technology to better manage traffic.
As western Johnson County continues to grow, with major projects such as the development of the $4 billion Panasonic plant in De Soto, the state has prioritized improving K-10. Officials have been analyzing solutions since last fall.
Traffic on K-10 varies from about 30,000 vehicles per day at the western limits, to more than 80,000 where K-10 meets I-435, Cross said. That causes “routine daily congestion, particularly east of K-7,” he said, as well as higher crash rates than the statewide average for comparable roadways.
KDOT also plans to address deteriorating pavement and bridges, constructed in the 1970s and early 1980s, as well as safety concerns in areas with higher crash rates and sharp curves in the highway.
The state wants to decide how to expand the highway by next spring.
KDOT is completing a study to explore widening K‑10 to three lanes in each direction, with express toll lanes, from Cedar Creek Parkway to I‑435.
U.S. 69 is getting the first express toll lanes in Kansas, from 103rd Street to 151st Street in Overland Park. The model can be found in other metro areas, like Denver and Dallas. Typically, the far left lane is the only one tolled. Tolls will be collected digitally, with drivers charged after their K-Tag or license plate is scanned. Rates will fluctuate, rising during rush hour.
KDOT has estimated that toll rates on U.S. 69 will vary from 30 cents to $1.75 per trip, depending on how far the driver travels in the lane and the time of day.
The idea came with mixed reactions in Overland Park, with those in favor arguing that it’s equitable for drivers who use the highway and want to pay for a speedier trip to help fund the work. They say using toll revenue to fund the city’s portion of construction was a way to fast-track the project.
But others raised concerns that toll lanes prioritize the wealthy, dubbing them “Lexus lanes.”
The Overland Park City Council approved the plan with a 10-2 vote, and in August 2021, a panel of Kansas lawmakers and Gov. Laura Kelly granted final approval.The tolls are expected to pay for Overland Park’s $20 million contribution to the first phase of construction.
The toll lanes on U.S. 69 are expected to open in 2025.
If officials were to move forward with adding toll lanes on K-10, Olathe and Lenexa would go through a similar process.
Both of those cities would be asked to enter into a joint proposal with KDOT, using the revenue generated from the tolls to help fund the project. The state would need to grant final approval.
Cross said complete reconstruction of the 17-mile highway is estimated to cost $1.6 billion. But that work would be constructed in phases over time, as needed.
For more information and project updates, visit k10.ksdot.gov.
