Olathe uses $691k federal grant for roundabout, other traffic safety projects
By the end of the year, construction will begin on a roundabout in a residential neighborhood near downtown Olathe. The project is a test run, of sorts, which city leaders will use to see what works, and doesn’t work, for traffic safety improvements city-wide.
Plans for a temporary roundabout, at the intersection of Loula and Keeler Streets, were on display for Rep. Sharice Davids Thursday, who visited Olathe after securing a $691,200 grant to fund this project, and others.
The grant comes from the federal Safe Streets and Roads for All program, created through the bipartisan infrastructure law passed in November 2021. It will fund the roundabout, a city speed management plan and studies on road safety to inform future projects in Olathe.
Davids met with city leaders at the intersection this week to discuss safety issues and possible solutions.
“The statistics around road safety — whether you’re talking about bicycles, pedestrians or auto crashes — have been alarming over the years because they’re, in some places, not trending positively,” Davids said.
In a 2022 report examining transportation safety in Kansas’ Third District, Davids said that 21% of the state’s pedestrian crash–related deaths in 2020 occurred within the district.
“So, when Olathe reached out to get some support to apply for this grant, and they were sharing those kinds of statistics with us… this seemed like exactly the kind of project that we should all be focused on.”
Roundabout construction
By constructing a “compact roundabout,” as a “demonstration project” at Loula and Keeler Streets, leaders can evaluate whether it makes the intersection more safe and accessible, and if it could improve traffic flow.
The intersection is currently a four-way stop with four stop signs. The site was chosen as part of the city’s Safety Action Plan (SAP), which identifies where crashes occur and improvements aimed at reducing them.
The roundabout will be removable and adjustable, not a permanent installation at first, according to Andrew Robertson, a transportation manager for Olathe.
“People can expect us to look at speed limits city-wide, specifically in areas that are pedestrian and bicycle heavy uses,” Robertson said, describing what the $691k grant will pay for.
The city will also look at other places where a demonstration project could help, and determine where roads and intersections could be redesigned, Robertson said.
Construction on the roundabout will begin at the end of this year, he said.
A city spokesman said that if the compact roundabout doesn’t work as initially recommended in the SAP, another intersection will be evaluated.
The Loula and Keeler streets intersection is considered a “Moderate Risk” under the SAP.
Traffic safety in Olathe
Traffic safety has been an issue Olathe residents have put in the ear of city officials for a number of years. The city council adopted a Safety Action Plan in September 2025, which uses grants to come up with solutions to problem areas in the city.
A number of ongoing road improvements were designed with traffic safety in mind, including Olathe’s ambitious overhaul of Santa Fe Street that’s beginning to take shape.
“It’s exciting to see the innovative ways the city of Olathe is trying to make the streets safer,” Davids said Thursday.
After meeting with Davids this week, Olathe Mayor John Bacon said in a statement that being able to drive throughout Olathe in a safe and timely manner is a top priority for residents.
“This grant money will help us protect our residents while also improving the quality of life for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians.”
