LATEST UPDATE: Construction Open House Public Meeting and Virtual Meeting Component  

An in-person Pre-Construction Open House Public Meeting was held Tuesday, February 28, 2023, at the Hilltop Conference Center in Overland Park. The open house-style meeting gave attendees a look at the proposed 69Express construction schedule, project renderings, noise wall information and a roll plot of the entire highway project. About 120 people attended the meeting to learn more about the project.  

Those who weren’t able to join us may view a virtual version of the in-person public meeting on 69Express.org. To see the project renderings and learn more about the noise walls and anticipated construction phases, please register for the virtual public meeting. Once you register, the link will automatically take you to slides with the same information that was provided at the public meeting. If you have questions, you may access the 69Express comment form by using the link at the end in the next steps section. The Project Team will answer your questions within three to five business days. 

If you would like a more personalized overview of the project, the 69Express Team can also schedule a presentation of the project for your HOA or other organization. To schedule the presentation, please reach out to info@69Express.org. 

Construction Preparation

Grading and widening work will be taking place throughout the U.S. 69 corridor. Trees and brush have been removed to prepare the site to accommodate highway improvements, including construction of new noise walls and movement of underground and overhead utilities. The infield area inside the loop ramp at 135th Street and U.S. 69 will be utilized to construct a project concrete plant and provide a yard for materials. This plant is necessary for the paving work taking place this summer and in the coming seasons. Geotechnical testing will continue along the shoulders and in the medians throughout the corridor in preparation for grading and paving work. As long as the weather is favorable, crews will be working. Most lane closures are limited during daytime hours, and more night work is planned for this reason.

The new highway configuration and noise wall installations mean electrical poles need to be moved and lines will need to be restrung. Evergy has been moving lines across the highway in anticipation of this project. This work will continue for a few more weeks. Please continue to watch for crews working and be prepared to slow down.  

60-Day Lane Closure

Starting March 30th, one lane will be closed on northbound U.S. 69 over 151st Street for bridge rehabilitation work. The left lane will be closed first, with work switching to the right lane in the following weeks. This bridge work will continue through mid-May. Please seek alternate routes for travel as traffic delays are anticipated. All work is weather dependent. 

For daily traffic information, please sign up for text alerts. Visit the project website at 69Express.org to learn about closures that might impact your travel schedule. 

Night Work

To minimize impact to the traveling public, daytime lane closures on U.S. 69 north of 151st Street will be limited to 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. However, at night, when traffic volumes are significantly lower, the contractor will utilize lane closures for longer durations to get more work done. By working at night, 69Express can be completed as quickly as possible and the overall impact to U.S. 69 traffic will be reduced.  

During the first half of 2023, night work will take place primarily between 151st Street and 135th Street. Updates on additional night work will be made available as the project progresses. The Project Team understands the potential inconveniences that may accompany night work – including noise and light – and will work with the contractor to minimize the negative impacts. 

Moving Forward

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

To sign up to receive text alerts on travel impacts that may affect your drive, click here.