Lenexa council approves 2026 CARS funding submittal including Santa Fe Trail overlay, K‑10/Cane Creek widening

Lenexa city staff and council approved the city’s 2026 County Assisted Road System (CARS) submittal, a five‑year project list the city will forward to the Johnson County Board of Commissioners for scoring and possible funding.

The vote to submit the 2026–2030 application passed after a presentation from a city staff member identified as Tim, who explained the CARS program and the projects the city proposed. “The 2026 program is estimated to be about $18,500,000 spread amongst all the Johnson County cities,” Tim said, describing eligibility rules and how the county shares construction costs.

The application lists next‑year projects that would be eligible for construction funding and a set of planning placeholders for later years. The 2026 projects highlighted by staff include a milling overlay of Santa Fe Trail Drive and a K‑10/Cane Creek Boulevard improvement to add a third lane on the westbound K‑10 exit ramp across the bridge to match the three lanes on the Olathe side. Staff also included 80th Street (Gleeson to Clare) with an estimated opportunity to secure up to $4 million in county match for widening and associated work; Renner Boulevard (a long‑standing placeholder for curb, gutter and trails); and a placeholder for local street improvements near the K‑10/Lone Elm area to address local intersections and circulation regardless of any future highway interchange work.

Why it matters: Johnson County’s CARS program typically covers 50% of eligible construction costs for selected projects; acquiring county match can substantially reduce the city’s share of large street projects. Tim told the council the county prefers the first (budget) year of each submission remain unchanged once accepted and that the county prepares its $18.5 million budget based on those lists.

Key details and constraints

- Eligibility: To qualify for CARS funds, streets must generally be classified as a major arterial by Johnson County or a minor arterial that connects to major arterials and carry about 3,500 vehicles per day, Tim said. - Funding mechanics: The county reimburses eligible construction costs after the city pays contractors. Projects in the first (budget) year require plans and stamped cost estimates; later years are planning estimates and can be amended in future cycles. - Allocation and certainty: Lenexa’s annual allocation has historically ranged from roughly $1.3 million to $2.0 million; staff said the city’s typical allocation is in the $1.6 million–$1.8 million range and that the county aims to keep each city near an 80% distribution goal over rolling years. - Local vs. highway work: Staff emphasized CARS funds cannot be used for KDOT highway interchange work; the Lone Elm entry is a placeholder for local street work tied to growth in that area and is distinct from any interchange funding.

Council reaction and next steps

Council members asked about the level of engineering required at the time of submission, the ability to revise planning‑year projects, and the timing for when reimbursable agreements would arrive from the county. Tim said Lenexa must begin construction or at least substantially start the budgeted year project to use the funds and that the city would receive formal agreements from the county in the spring before construction. One council member expressed opposition to listing Lone Elm‑related projects because of concerns about how an interchange or overpass might affect nearby neighborhoods; the speaker did not support adding interchange‑related work to the city’s list, even though staff said the CARS entry would be limited to local streets.

Councilmember John moved to approve the submittal; Chelsea seconded. The motion carried and staff will submit the 2026–2030 CARS application to the Johnson County Board of Commissioners for the county scoring and the commissioners’ May decision.

Ending: If Johnson County approves projects from Lenexa’s list, the county would reimburse 50% of eligible construction costs; additional design, right‑of‑way and non‑eligible items would remain a city responsibility. Staff noted that projects listed for later planning years can be amended in future submissions.