KDOT updates on US-69 toll lanes, Topeka viaduct and billion-dollar Wichita planning; lawmakers press on trees, transit and timelines
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Summary
Secretary Reid told legislators US-69 express ($570M) nears completion with toll testing, the Pulte Quincy Viaduct in Topeka is under construction (expected 2027), and KDOT has issued an RFP for the canal-route planning (potentially >$1 billion); members pressed KDOT on tree mitigation, transit for the World Cup and right-of-way/timing issues.
Members of the House Committee on Transportation used Secretary Calvin Reid’s KDOT briefing to press for updates on major local projects and to raise community concerns.
Reid reported that the $570,000,000 US-69 Express project in Overland Park — which adds capacity and the state's first express toll lanes — is "nearly complete," with the tolling contractor performing final testing and an anticipated opening in February. He also said the Pulte Quincy Viaduct project in Topeka was let to construction in December 2024 and is expected to be completed in 2027.
On Wichita-area planning, Reid said KDOT issued a request for proposals for consulting services to begin the planning phase of what he described as one of the largest projects the department may put to construction — likely to exceed $1,000,000,000 to replace a roughly 5.5-mile section of I‑135 including very long bridges — and that public engagement is expected later this summer.
Committee members raised environment and community concerns. Representative Vaughn asked about a reported tree mitigation fund for the US-69 corridor and whether KDOT considers trees and ecological mitigation when developing projects; Reid said "I do not know the specifics" of any fund but that tree concerns are part of project development and public engagement and can be built into project plans.
Reid also described regional transit coordination for major events, saying KDOT has worked with Johnson County and the Unified Government of Wyandotte County to fund circulator routes and that local partners applied for federal Mid‑America Regional Council funding for airport-to-city routes during the 2026 World Cup, which KDOT expects to help sustain if funded.
Members asked for follow-ups on specific corridor studies (K‑7, K‑10, K‑96, Highway 254) and delay explanations where projects interface with rail yards. Reid offered to provide committee staff with updated timelines and additional data on right-of-way, construction schedules and costs.
The committee did not take votes on these projects during the session; members requested more detailed follow-ups and project-specific briefings from KDOT staff.