In 2021, the Chamber endorsed express toll lanes as the fastest, most cost-effective way to fix the state’s busiest 4-lane highway – US 69. I’ve worked on several highway projects throughout my career, and this one stands out. Since opening in February, the results are in.

Start with time. Traffic on US 69 is up 25% over pre-project levels, yet rush-hour travel times are down 50%. A trip from 151st Street to I-435 used to take nearly 20 minutes at rush hour. Today, it takes about 11 minutes in the toll-free lanes and 9 minutes in the express lane. As a result, employees arrive on time, ambulances shave valuable minutes off each trip, deliveries reach customers on schedule, and traffic on Metcalf and Antioch Road decreases.

Then there is safety. When we endorsed the project, crashes on this corridor occurred about once a day. Today, despite 25% more traffic, crashes are down by 50%. This is a great number, but it translates into fewer injuries, fewer closures, and fewer lost hours for the people and businesses that depend on this route daily.

The financial case has held up, too. The traditional funding model would have built the corridor in nine phases. The express lane model completed it in four, saving time and an estimated $85 million. The $580 million project finished 11 months ahead of schedule, great news for us as residents, businesses, and taxpayers. The toll is optional, so drivers choose what works for each trip. State statute keeps the toll-free lanes free in perpetuity.

The project delivered far more than new lanes:

• Improved six interchanges, including the full interchange at 167th Street
• Improved six recreational trails
• Constructed 11 miles of noise walls, reducing noise for more than 375 homes
• Expanded eight miles of US 69 to six lanes, including the state’s first express toll lanes

Express lane use started slowly but has risen steadily. In September, drivers made more than 100,000 trips through the express lanes.

Thanks to the USDOT Federal Highway Administration, KDOT, the Kansas Turnpike Authority, the City of Overland Park, HNTB, and the 69Express Contractors for delivering a project that will serve our region for decades. If it’s been a while since you’ve driven US 69, take a trip soon. You may find the best return on this investment is the time you get back.