Olathe could ask JoCo to help fund future road projects. See which ones
Olathe is requesting a handful of projects to be included in a Johnson County program that provides funding assistance for road work over the next five years.
The County Assistance Road System (CARS) works by providing funds to Johnson County cities to maintain major roads. Each year, cities submit a five-year road improvement plan to the county. Then, using a scoring system the county selects projects and allocates funds.
Johnson County pays 50% of the project’s construction and inspection costs, while the city is responsible for design, right-of-way and utility relocation costs, according to the county website.
“...only major arterial and some minor collector streets are eligible for the CARS program,” the county website says. “For example, major arterial streets such as Metcalf, Antioch, 119th, and 75th Street are eligible; residential or local streets are not eligible for the program and are the responsibility of the cities.”
The CARS program is funded by Johnson County’s share of Kansas’ Special City County Highway Fund (the “gas tax”) and the county’s general revenue.
In 2025, CARS program funding was estimated at $18.5 million, according to the county website.
Proposed Olathe projects for CARS
Olathe’s City Council tentatively approved five city road projects to be considered for the CARS program last week.
However, under the framework for CARS, the list of projects is subject to change year-to-year as roads and infrastructure needs can change, according to Cody Kennedy, a city spokesman.
Here’s a look at the projects up for consideration after City Council approval.
Lone Elm Road from 119th Street to Harold Street
Olathe officially applied for assistance from the CARS program for Lone Elm Road from 119th Street to Harold Street.
The project will improve the area from a two-lane road into a two-lane divided arterial section with turn lanes. It will add new pavement, curbs and gutters, medians, streetlights, sidewalks and a side path, bike lanes and storm sewers.
It will also change the intersection at Lone Elm Road and Harold Street from a four way stop into a new roundabout and rebuild the intersections of 124th Street and 123rd Terrace into a dual roundabout connecting both intersections.
The project is currently under design with construction anticipated to begin in 2027.
159th Street from Brougham Drive to Black Bob Road
This project is tentatively on the city’s list of projects proposed for the CARS program. It would change the road from a two-lane rural section to a two-lane arterial with turn lanes, according to the city website.
Improvements will include new pavement construction, curbs and gutters, streetlights, sidewalks, and storm sewer updates. It would also modify the existing stream crossing and add a new traffic signal at 159th St and Brougham Drive.
The project is under design and construction is anticipated to begin in 2028.
College Boulevard from Cedar Niles Boulevard to Clare Road
Another tentative project for the CARS program is an improvement to part of well-traveled College Boulevard.
The project would transform the street into a four-lane divided arterial road. It will feature new pavement, curbs and gutters, medians, streetlights, sidewalks and a side path, bike lanes and storm sewers.
Specific designs are expected to begin next year and construction could begin in 2029, according to a city timeline.
Lone Elm Road from 159th Street to 167th Street
This project will transform Lone Elm Road from a two-lane road into a four-lane divided arterial road. It will feature new pavement, storm sewer, curbs and gutters, streetlights, sidewalks, medians, turn lanes, and all other work necessary to complete the project.
Designs are expected to begin in 2028 and construction is tentatively scheduled for 2030.
Black Bob Road from 135th Street to Strang Line Road
This project is called a “street preservation project” that will remove the top layer of aged asphalt and replace it with new asphalt. It will also replace concrete curbs and sidewalks along the road in the same area.
Designs are anticipated to start in 2030 and construction will tentatively take place in 2031.
