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Two video simulations have been developed to show how the improvement concept alternative will function. The first simulation shows how the collector distributor roads act to separate traffic and reduce weaving. The second video shows a portion of the improvement concept from the drivers perspective.
The improvement concept shown in the video increases spacing where drivers enter and exit the highway and creates separation by using collector and distributor lanes to move those traveling all the way through the area to one set of lanes while those who will be moving from, say, I-435 to I-35 to another lane or lanes. This type of separation will reduce the weaving drivers will need to do.

In early February, focus groups were conducted with randomly selected residents who use or have used the I-435/I-35/K-10 interchange area. The summary report documents their thoughts and perceptions on how the interchange currently works and their opinions on the proposed improvement concepts. Seventy-one people participated in the focus groups. Generally all the participants supported the improvement concept presented.

Reader’s Digest has ranked Kansas highways #1 in the nation. KDOT had three Governors and four former Transportation Secretaries at a chilly news conference this morning to celebrate the news. Governors Hayden, Graves and Parkinson all remarked that this accomplishment was possible because of the investments Kansans were willing to make in their transportation system. As Gov. Hayden said, “These roads aren’t free and they’re not cheap.” They also pointed out that if we want our system to remain in good condition, additional funding is necessary. The timing couldn’t be better as the Senate Transportation Committee is holding hearings this week on T-WORKS, the name given to the future transportation program.

Please click here to watch a video from Monday morning’s event

Blake Schreck, President of the Lenexa Chamber of Commerce sat down with me and provided his thoughts on the importance of the I-435/I-35/K10 interchange area to Lenexa and how improvements to the interchange are critical to the economy of Lenexa.
Please note this is our first pod video interview, so there is room for improvement from a video/quality standpoint.

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.

On January 8, 2010, KDOT invited key businesses and stakeholders in the study area to an issues workshop where the study team presented two draft concept alternatives. We asked the business community what concerns they had with the proposed concepts and how they thought the improvements might impact them. Overall, most of the concerns noted had to do with funding the improvements and for what short-term solutions could be implemented until all the improvements could be completed. As the study progresses, there will be more discussion on the short-term improvements. At this time, there is no funding for construction or any right-of-way acquistion. The presentation can be found in the resource link under meeting summaries.

The Johnson County Gateway Study area is identified as the area bound by 95th Street, Quivira Road, College Boulevard and Renner Boulevard. This approximately 6 square mile area has some fairly significant development which could be impacted by potential modifications to the access to the freeway system. We have determined that generally within this area (some of the data tracts do not exactly follow those boundaries) there is the following:
• Approximately 1,280 businesses with 30,400 jobs.
• Approximately 4,967 households with 11,630 residents living in those households.
• Approximate tax revenue = $250 Million per year. This tax revenue includes an estimate of federal and state income taxes for all employees in the areas plus the property tax. This estimate of taxes paid does not include sales tax paid by employees, sales tax collected by businesses, personal properly tax, income tax paid by the business or income tax paid by the residents that live in the area.

Improving transportation on the highways in and through this area is critical to the local, regional and state economy.

Sources for information above include:
Business data
Source: Business data provided by InfoUSA, Omaha NE Copyright 2009, all rights reserved. ESRI forecasts for 2009.

Household and Residential Data
Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census, 2000 Census of Population and Housing. ESRI forecasts for 2009.

Tax Revenue Estimates
Source: City of Lenexa