WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation – today announced a $10 million BUILD grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to the City of Olathe for the expansion and improvement of the I-35 and 119th Street interchange, otherwise known as the Interstate 35 and 119th Street Interchange Reconfiguration Project.

 

“Interchange improvements at I-35 and 119th Street have been a priority of Johnson County and Olathe officials, and I’m pleased that our coalition was able to secure resources for one of the highest traffic volume intersections in the state through a BUILD grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation,” said Sen. Moran. “This area serves as the spine for KC’s Gateway District and the completion of these improvements will allow residents and travelers to safely and more effectively access jobs, businesses and amenities in the area. In the coming months, I’ll continue working with local officials to prioritize infrastructure projects that the Kansas City regional economy relies on.”

 

The existing area at I-35 and 119th Street is currently approaching the end of its design life and is a large bottleneck during rush hour. A redesign and expansion of the interchange will allow for better traffic flow and improve safety on one of the highest traffic volume intersections in the state. Specifically, this will include construction of new diverging-diamond interchange, intersection improvements adjacent to the interchange, the addition of travel lanes on 119th Street and increased turn lanes on I-35 exit ramps.

 

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