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KDOT outlines K‑10/Lone Elm interchange plan; Olathe council raises safety and funding concerns
Summary
KDOT presented a phased $1.25 billion improvement plan for K‑10, including a Lone Elm interchange and auxiliary lanes. Council members pressed the agency on school safety, noise walls and how much local funding would be required; KDOT said design and right‑of‑way work will continue and that construction could occur as early as 2027 if funding is secured.
Kansas Department of Transportation project staff gave a multi‑hour briefing on Oct. 7 describing the K‑10 study corridor and a proposed Lone Elm interchange. KDOT officials said the corridor study covers 17 miles of K‑10 reconstruction and that the discovery phase has produced a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI). The agency presented a phased cost estimate it said totaled roughly $1,250,000,000, with a near‑term package around $313,000,000 and a mid‑term package of about $463,000,000.
"This past summer, we got our FONSI, that was our environmental assessment, that came, that was kind of a big milestone for these projects," KDOT project manager Steve Rockers told the council. KDOT said the Lone Elm interim project would add a new interchange, construct a four‑lane divided arterial on Lone Elm to 101st Street, add auxiliary lanes on K‑10, and include pedestrian improvements such as 10‑foot shared‑use paths; potential letting was described as October 2026 with construction in 2027 in an optimistic schedule.
Council members repeatedly pressed KDOT on safety near adjacent schools and the prospect of increased truck traffic. Councilmember Schoonover said neighborhood opposition was strong and complained that the plan felt imposed on Olathe: "It kind of looks like a middle finger to Olathe, I mean, if I'm being completely honest." Several councilors asked whether the project could be built without connecting to Olathe's southern roadway network; KDOT staff said a city‑led southern connection could be negotiated and that Lenexa is contributing significantly to the project cost, which influences timing and prioritization.
KDOT also discussed noise‑wall eligibility and noted federal feasibility and reasonableness criteria. City staff and council members discussed negotiating a truck bypass around school zones; Deputy Director of Infrastructure later provided a preliminary estimate of about $15,500,000 to build a bypass segment from the proposed roundabout to Monticello (city‑side improvements still under negotiation). Council members asked that KDOT work with the city on funding and design options to reduce school impacts before final design.
