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As part of our recent online survey we received a few comments and suggestions on the study. I will be posting them here in the days to come. “I am a BIG FAN of longer exit ramps to clean up 95th Street going north and on 119th and Santa Fe going south. They are dangerous, especially the mess going into Olathe around 4:30-6:15 pm each day. I feel it is far too dangerous because people trying to get off are forced to PARK on the highway and often are rear-ended.”
Response: That is a good comment and suggestion. Longer ramps will be part of the improved concept and it is likely that some of those suggestions will be part of an interim improvement project as well. As the design engineers get further into the details of the design we will have more information to share.

The study team has developed two concepts alternatives that improve safety and reduce congestion. Each concept creates more separation for drivers traveling through the interchange area and those who want to exit. The concepts use collector distributor roads to help create a separation and eliminate much of the weaving for those traveling through the area and those going from one major highway to another. Decision points for exits are placed well ahead of their current location, but with appropriate signage it should be easy to navigate. At least that was the reaction from the recent focus groups who viewed the concepts.
In the next couple of weeks we will have a video simulation posted to show how the concepts function.

In order to gather additional information from commuters and regional users of the I-435/I-35/K-10 Interchange, we are conducting focus groups to talk about specific issues surrounding the interchange. We are working with ETC Institute , to randomly recruit and invite people who use the interchange frequently to attend and provide their thoughts and opinions on transportation issues related to the improvement of the area. So far two focus groups have been completed and participants were glad to know that KDOT is studying ways to improve the interchange. The input from the focus groups will help the study team understand the most important issues to commuters as work continues on the improvement concepts.

We are looking for feedback on access and mobility issues. Please providie your input by taking the online survey. The surveys provide insight into what issues are of most concern to the respondents and help the study team as they work on the alternative for improvements.