Construction continues with the full closure of the 167^th Street and U.S. 69/167^th Street entrance and exit ramps. The 167th Street interchange will be reconstructed, including adding south-facing ramps for access to and from both directions of U.S. 69. 167th Street will also be reconstructed, expanding the street to four lanes. Roundabouts will be added at the 167th Street and U.S. 69 ramp intersections. This closure will last through early October.

Ramp work at 135th Street continues as access from northbound U.S. 69 will remain closed until April 22nd. The ramp was closed for reconstruction and addition of turn lanes at 135th Street.

Noise wall installation is progressing well and will continue throughout the summer. Additionally, preparations for toll system installation are happening now, with components and some devices to be installed this month. 

In the photo above, RCB (reinforced concrete box) installation is taking place under the future northbound lanes of U.S. 69, south of 167th Street. The RCB will replace the existing aging structure and move stormwater from west to east under U.S. 69.

Work Zone Awareness Week

National Work Zone Awareness Week, April 21-25, is a concentrated effort to remind both motorists and workers to refocus on vigilance and safety in roadway work zones. The theme of this year’s National Work Zone Awareness Week, “Respect the Zone, so we all get home” is a reminder that collaboration between motorists and workers is necessary to improve safety for everyone  In 2024, driver-related contributing circumstances were recorded in 92 percent of all work zone crashes, leading to 1,705 total crashes, with 8 fatalities and 508 persons injured.

To emphasize National Work Zone Awareness Week, Wednesday, April 23 is designated as Go Orange Day in Kansas. Orange is the primary safety color in work zones, and everyone is encouraged to wear orange to show highway workers and others who work along the state’s roadways how much their efforts are appreciated.

See daily construction and closure updates to keep yourself and others on the road, both motorists and workers, safe by going to the 69Express project website.

Trails Update

To ensure pedestrian safety, some trails under U.S. 69 have been closed during construction. Please visit the City of Overland Park Trail Closures Map for more information.

• The Tomahawk Creek trail is scheduled to open in Summer 2025.

• The Indian Creek Trail will reopen with the completion of the southbound U.S. 69 bridge in Fall 2025.

• The trail that runs past Heartland Elementary on the west side of the highway is currently closed and will reopen following noise wall completion and restoration in late Summer 2025.

KTA Text Scam

Be aware of a nationwide texting scam about unpaid tolls. The Kansas Turnpike Authority (KTA) does not send unsolicited text messages. You’ll only receive an official text about tolling if you signed up for notifications in your DriveKS accounts, and then you must login to pay your bill. If you receive a suspicious text, do not click links. Learn more about identifying these scam messages.

Moving Forward

Want to stay up to date on the project? Visit 69Express.org or follow us on Facebook, X (Formerly Twitter) and YouTube at @69Express for more updates. 

To be notified about upcoming closures and other impacts to your commute, please visit the project website or sign up for regular text alerts.