Overland Park outlines $345 million 2026–2030 capital plan, flags $30 million federal funding uncertainty

Overland Park city staff on a council meeting presentation summarized a proposed 2026–2030 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) totaling just under $345 million and noted the plan relies heavily on dedicated sales tax revenue from the OP Moves measure.

The plan calls for just under $99 million in capital spending in 2026 and a five‑year maintenance program of roughly $225 million, with $47.7 million budgeted for maintenance in 2026, according to staff. Lori, a city staff member presenting the plan, said dedicated OP Moves sales tax dollars are a significant portion of both the capital and maintenance programs and that the 3.8¢ OP Moves sales tax became effective April 1, 2024.

Why it matters: the CIP sets the city’s capital and maintenance priorities for infrastructure, public safety and facilities for the next five years. It also sets the spending assumptions staff will use during committee reviews and the municipal budget process.

City funding and major projects City staff said city resources account for the majority of funding in the five‑year plan, supplemented by intergovernmental, private and developer contributions. The CIP highlights several large projects: a police training facility with an engineer’s estimate of $23,500,000 (will be bid to determine final cost), Clock Tower Landing listed as a major high‑quality‑of‑life project, a salt storage facility, a Dennis Garrett building project, and a planned fire station (Fire Station 42 setting in 2027). The presentation also named neighborhood street reconstruction programs (noting an increase in annual investment to about $16–$17 million per year compared with prior years), midblock pedestrian trail work, curb/street/storm sewer maintenance, and traffic infrastructure.

Public equipment and technology needs include an estimated $3,000,000 in 2029 for a public records management platform and $1,000,000 in 2030 for computer‑aided dispatch and mobile public safety systems, items staff grouped under public equipment and government accountability.

Timing and next steps Staff said area committees will review recommended projects in February and March, the full committee of the council is expected to review recommendations on the 24th (month not specified in the presentation), a public hearing on the plan is scheduled for April 21, and the plan will be used for budget planning with the 2026 operating budget presentation in June. Staff told the council they expect to return in the fall to adjust the CIP after Playbook OP recommendations are finalized.

Uncertainty over federal funding Councilmembers pressed staff about a possible federal funding freeze that could affect the plan. Councilmember Chris asked whether a federal freeze exists and how staff is preparing; Lori said city staff had identified about $30,000,000 over five years that is earmarked in the plan for federal funding tied to thoroughfares. "I will tell you, we don't have a solution for losing $30,000,000 in federal funds. We would have to cut projects," Lori said. She added that the city had received copies of a temporary restraining order indicating agencies were required to continue sending funding but that lobbyists had reported confusion and that staff would continue to monitor the situation. "Until we know more, we are going to expect our contractual obligations to be met," Lori said.

Planning items and studies Councilmembers asked about specific projects and studies. Lori said the 79th Street Corridor project (project code TH2509) is slated for preliminary engineering in 2026 and was categorized under thoroughfares because the project functions as a collector. Greenway linkages and a bike plan update were described as being scoped in 2025 and scheduled for planned work in calendar year 2026, though the specific budget amount for that work was not yet determined. Playbook OP, an upcoming strategic planning report, is expected to provide recommendations this summer; staff said those recommendations — including potential pool investments mentioned in council discussion — likely would be discussed for prioritization in the fall CIP revision.

Maintenance priorities and facility work Staff emphasized an increase in building maintenance costs as city facilities age, citing HVAC replacements, roof and window work and backup power investments, and credited facilities engineer Tony Rome with helping identify and estimate those needs. The presentation noted that traffic signal funding shows a shift from funding many new signal projects to funding maintenance and one‑for‑one replacements of existing signals; projects that are substantially improved remain categorized as capital.

Discussion vs. decisions The presentation and council discussion were informational; no formal votes or motions on the CIP were recorded in the transcript. Councilmembers were encouraged to meet with staff before committee meetings for detailed questions and to use the online CIP project pages (opcares.org) for line‑item funding sources and project schedules.

What’s next Staff expects committee reviews in late winter/early spring, a council public hearing on April 21, and the 2026 operating budget presentation in June. Staff said it will update the council if the federal funding situation changes and will incorporate Playbook OP recommendations into the fall CIP update if timing allows.