Major Johnson County interchange to close for months as U.S. 69 expands, adds express lanes
As the U.S. 69 expansion project in Overland Park is expected to reach the halfway point this summer, drivers will see a major interchange closed for months.
Johnson County commuters will need to navigate around two long-term closures at 119th Street through the fall. Both the southbound exit ramp and the northbound on-ramp at 119th Street are expected to close June 24, and remain closed for 120 days, according to the Kansas Department of Transportation.
By August, 119th Street will be closed through October as the entire interchange is reconstructed. The street will be closed from Grant Street to Farley/Three Lakes Parkway.
During the closures, drivers will be directed to College Boulevard, Antioch Road, 135th Street, 127th Street and Quivira Road as alternate routes, said KDOT spokeswoman Suze Parker.
It’s a significant step in the $572 million U.S. 69 project, which includes reconstructing the highway between 103rd and 151st Streets. The highway is being expanded to add an express toll lane in each direction. That will give drivers the option of paying a toll for a faster commute. The other lanes would remain free.
A traffic analysis previously showed the stretch of U.S. 69 is the most congested four-lane highway in the state. KDOT expects traffic volume to double by 2040, as more people move to southern Johnson County.
While express lanes have been built in other metro areas, like Denver and Dallas, these will be the first in Kansas. The toll would be collected digitally, with drivers charged after their K-Tag or license plate number is scanned.
Rates would fluctuate, rising when there is greater demand. KDOT estimates that someone driving the entire length of the corridor northbound during rush hour would pay $1.50 for that trip. A commuter driving only a portion of the corridor, from 151st Street to 119th Street, could pay 50-cents.
The toll revenue will go toward repaying the city of Overland Park’s $30 million share of the project cost. That amount is expected to be generated between 2037 and 2042.
In addition to adding the express lanes, the project includes reconstructing the interchange ramps at I-435, College Boulevard, 119th Street, Blue Valley Parkway, and 135th, 151st and 167th streets. Crews are replacing multiple bridges, plus constructing 11 noise walls to mitigate sound for nearby neighborhoods.
Parker said work is moving along as scheduled this summer, as the new Blue Valley Parkway ramp to southbound U.S. 69 opened to traffic on June 7.
“The new entrance ramp enters southbound U.S. 69 on the right-hand side, addressing one of the most significant safety and traffic congestion issues on the corridor,” Parker said in an email. “This ramp removes the previous left-hand merge, which required drivers who wanted to exit at 135th Street to cross three lanes of traffic to access that exit.”
In addition, 139th and 143rd streets at U.S. 69, which have been been closed since March for bridge work and road reconstruction, reopened this past weekend.
Parker said eight new bridges have so far been completed, and 14 more are under construction.
Along with the closures at the 119th Street interchange, work this summer includes bridge construction at Blue Valley Parkway, 119th Street and College Boulevard. More work will take place at Blue Valley Parkway. And noise walls are being built along the highway.
By the end of the summer, Parker said construction should be halfway completed, as scheduled.
Parker said drivers can expect to be able to use the express toll lanes for the first time by January 2026.
More information about closures and construction can be found at 69express.ksdot.gov.
