When does roadwork start for I-35 & Santa Fe project in Olathe? What we know
An overhaul of Santa Fe Street is underway in Olathe, beginning with the demolition of various buildings near the Interstate 35 interchange this year.
Since that work began, a more up-to-date timeline has been developed as city leaders prepare for major infrastructure changes.
The timeline puts construction lasting through at least the beginning of 2030, but what all will happen between now and then?
For starters, utility lines will have to be relocated to lay the foundation for major infrastructure changes. That work is expected to begin this summer.
Demolitions and utility relocations will overlap slightly this summer and fall. City staff is still finalizing designs that will show what, exactly, infrastructure will look like when it’s done.
Last month, the city approved funds for a wrecking company to demolish buildings in the 1800 and 1900 blocks of Santa Fe.
As vehicles drive in the area this week, people can see that buildings on the south side of Santa Fe Street near I-35 have been partly reduced to rubble behind chain-link fences marking the project area.
While Olathe handles Santa Fe improvements, the Kansas Department of Transportation is finalizing its designs for capacity improvements on I-35. Those designs are slated to be complete by the end of this year, and construction could start as soon as the last quarter of 2026.
In a Facebook post earlier this month, the city of Olathe said the I-35 and Santa Fe Corridor Project is the largest project on record that the city has undertaken to date.
“Progress takes time and some uncomfortable stages,” the post read. “But we’re going to work together to keep everyone informed.”
Overview of improvements
Big picture, the project sets out to reconfigure the I-35 and Santa Fe interchange, add auxiliary lanes and reconstruct pavement in the area.
The Old 56 Highway bridge over I-35 will be converted to two lanes and Santa Fe Street will see improvements from Ridgeview Road to Mur-Len Road.
Tentative I-35 & Santa Fe schedule
Spring 2026: Before work could begin, the city had to acquire land and purchase properties along the Santa Fe corridor, valued around $22 million. Those purchases were secured at the beginning of the year. Demolition at those properties is anticipated to be complete this spring.
Final designs of the KDOT portion of the project are ongoing and expected to last through at least September.
Summer 2026: Utility relocation begins this in Olathe this summer, which could impact commuters who drive on Santa Fe through at least September 2027.
Fall/Winter 2026: Construction on Interstate 35 is anticipated to begin in the fourth quarter of this year, or sometime between October and the end of the year. This work will continue through 2028.
2027: Construction will be fully underway on I-35 capacity improvements. This will last through at least 2028.
By October 2027, Olathe aims to have all utility relocations complete and the final project design ready ahead of construction.
2028: Construction on the Santa Fe portion is slated to begin at the end of 2027 and finish around the summer of 2030.
“Here’s the tough but honest message, 2028 through 2030 will take some patience,” the city said on social media last week. “It won’t be fun, it won’t be easy, but it’ll be worth it in the end.”
