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[mvak36]

Whatever happens to the corridor, I do hope they eliminate that left-hand southbound on-ramp from the Blue Valley Parkway, and move it to the right-hand side.

It looks like that is the plan. Here is one pdf I found on the site: https://www.69express.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/U.S.-69-Concept-Exhibits-Express-Toll-Lane-and-Traditional-Widening-Alternatives.pdf. The alternative shown on Page 2 is what got selected, but I don't believe the plans shown on the drawings are final. They might change once the design-build contractor is selected.

I'm also looking forward to them getting rid of that loop from US69 to 435 WB and replacing it with a flyover.

[Plutonic Panda]

Looks like the bids came in over estimate and I’ll beat this dead horse again and again. What an idiotic project. Just add a damned GP lane or make it two toll lanes each way. One or the other.

https://www.kshb.com/news/local-news/bidders-wanted-more-money-than-kdot-budgeted-to-build-an-express-lane-on-u-s-69

[The Ghostbuster]

So the bidders are getting greedy. I am shocked. NOT!

[mvak36]

I guess I missed this last month. They have selected a design-build team. : https://www.69express.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/2022.09.19_69Express_DBAnnouncement.pdf

US69 Express Constructors is a joint venture between Ames Construction and Emery Sapp & Sons. The team has extensive design-build experience on projects ranging from $20 million to $1.2 billion as well as constructing 12 express toll lane projects across the country. Design-build streamlines the project delivery process through a single contract between KDOT and the design-build team. Selection for the $570 million 69Express design-build project was based on how well the winning team met KDOT’s goals of balancing minimizing the impact on travel during construction, reducing cost and delivering the project on schedule.

“KDOT was pleased to receive high-quality proposals from two very strong design-build teams,”  Rockers said. “US69 Express Constructors proposed innovative ideas to optimize the design, strategic incorporation of recycled materials and a coordinated approach to constructing the project that will minimize impacts to traffic.”

The 69Express project involves adding a new, tolled lane in each direction from 103rd to 151st Streets in Overland Park, replacement of 50-year-old pavement, construction of 11 noise walls and improving interchanges at 167 th Street, Blue Valley Parkway and I-435. The existing four lanes of U.S. 69 will remain as non-tolled, general-purpose lanes.

KDOT plans to break ground on 69Express in November, with substantial construction beginning in 2023. The express lanes are anticipated to open in late 2025 with construction concluding in 2026.

[johndoe]

"KDOT received two qualified proposals on the U.S. 69 express lane project in Overland Park which exceeded KDOT’s most recent project estimate of $430 million"

"The design-build project is now expected to cost approximately $570 million to complete."

"The revised approach will save Kansas taxpayers $6 million"

Wait, what?

[mvak36]

They broke ground on this project yesterday.

https://fox4kc.com/news/kansas-news/groundbreaking-for-69express-toll-lanes-takes-place/

[mvak36]

They had the open house for this project yesterday.

Virtual Open House: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/f366c3224d81481c97888f23b6f2cc8e

I was hoping they would build the flyover ramp from 69N to 435WB as part of this but it's going to be part of a future phase.

[The Ghostbuster]

Are there any studies about built more Toll Lanes around the Kansas City area? I have a hard time believing the US 69 corridor is the only location that will have toll lanes in the future.

[Ned Weasel]

Are there any studies about built more Toll Lanes around the Kansas City area? I have a hard time believing the US 69 corridor is the only location that will have toll lanes in the future.

K-10.  https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article319836.html

[Sani]

Are there any studies about built more Toll Lanes around the Kansas City area? I have a hard time believing the US 69 corridor is the only location that will have toll lanes in the future.

K-10.  https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article319836.html

Has KDOT bid out the K-10 widening from I-435 to K-7 yet? For some reason, I was under the impression that project was funded and ready to start sometime this year.

Re: US 69, getting rid of the flyover ramp from NB 69 to WB 435 is going seriously limit how useful the whole project will be, in my opinion. They should have built that flyover 15 years ago when they did the projects on I-435 and US 69 from 103rd Street north. An extra toll lane isn't going to fix the weaving issue or keep people from having to slow down to make that cloverleaf ramp.

[mvak36]

Has KDOT bid out the K-10 widening from I-435 to K-7 yet? For some reason, I was under the impression that project was funded and ready to start sometime this year.

It looks like that Project is in their IKE Development Pipeline. They don't have the funding for the construction yet.

https://ikewebstorage.blob.core.windows.net/files/Pipeline-Announcements/Construction-Announcement-2022/IKE_PMC_SC_2022-All-Pipelines.pdf

[mvak36]

Has KDOT bid out the K-10 widening from I-435 to K-7 yet? For some reason, I was under the impression that project was funded and ready to start sometime this year.

It looks like that Project is in their IKE Development Pipeline. They don't have the funding for the construction yet.

https://ikewebstorage.blob.core.windows.net/files/Pipeline-Announcements/Construction-Announcement-2022/IKE_PMC_SC_2022-All-Pipelines.pdf

Also, it looks like they have a website for that project: https://k10.ksdot.gov/

[The Ghostbuster]

At least there is space in the median for the proposed toll lanes, which means right-of-way acquisitions will be minimal. I hope in the future, more toll lanes are added to the Kansas City freeway system after they finish with K-10 and US 69.

[rte66man]

https://www.constructionequipmentguide.com/kdots-570m-express-lane-project-aims-to-speed-commute/62400

KDOT's $570M Express Lane Project Aims to Speed Commute

WED SEPTEMBER 13, 2023 - MIDWEST EDITION #19
CINDY RILEY — CEG CORRESPONDENT

With a continued focus on community input, the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) is overseeing a $570 million project that will build express toll lanes on U.S. 69 Highway in Overland Park. The mission of 69Express is to help commuters travel to their destinations quickly and safely.

"U.S. 69 is the busiest four-lane highway in Kansas," said Steve Rockers, KDOT project director of 69Express. "The city of Overland Park and the surrounding area continue to grow, creating increasing safety, travel-time reliability and congestion issues on the roadway."

The 69Express corridor, which stretches from 103rd Street to 179th Street in Overland Park, has crash rates that are 53 percent above the statewide average. Existing pavement and bridges are approximately 50 years old and are overdue for replacement. Peak travel times are expected to triple by 2030.

"The goal of the U.S. 69 express lanes is to address traffic congestion with a solution that is sustainable far into the future, as traffic continues to grow in the corridor," said Rockers. "Express lanes do a better job of reducing congestion and improving travel-time reliability, because they can be managed to ensure a congestion-free trip. Drivers choose if they want to pay a toll to drive in the free-flowing express lanes, which in turn helps reduce congestion in the toll-free, general-purpose lanes."

In addition to the express lane improvements alleviating traffic congestion and providing reliable travel times, the project will improve roadway pavement, bridges and five key interchanges in the corridor.

Rockers noted that input from the public plays an important role in the 69Express project.

"In addition to years of outreach connected to previous studies regarding how to improve U.S.69, in the 15 months prior to the project proposal, the project team has, among other efforts, interviewed community leaders; convened focus groups with corridor users; undertaken several statistically valid surveys; and conducted multiple online and in-person community briefings and public meetings, all to gather feedback on the best approach for U.S. 69.

"Now that construction is under way, the project team regularly communicates with the public via the project's Facebook and Twitter pages and the project website, 69Express.org."

As for how drivers are responding to necessary closures, said Rockers, "Our design-build team has developed an innovative strategy to maintain traffic through the corridor during construction. Much of the work is being done at night to mitigate traffic impacts. This approach has kept the need for closures to a minimum and allowed us to keep traffic flowing well during construction, particularly during peak-hour travel times.

"In the few instances where a closure has been necessary, the traveling public has responded well and utilized detour routes. A robust communications campaign alerts drivers to all construction closures and updates."

As with all major infrastructure projects, the work is being completed as a team effort.

"The Kansas Department of Transportation is working in conjunction with the Federal Highway Administration, the Kansas Turnpike Authority and the city of Overland Park," said Rockers.

"Our design-build team joined that partnership in 2022 to help us design and construct these critical infrastructure improvements. The U.S. 69 Express Constructors design-build team is a joint venture of Ames Construction and Emery Sapp and Sons, and the design firms of Parsons and GBA."

Construction is supported through federal and KDOT funds, with tolls from the express lanes funding a contribution from the City of Overland Park.

Construction began in March 2023. According to Rob Gullikson, project manager, U.S. 69 Express Constructors, the first few months required temporary pavement widenings to accommodate future phases of the project, with significant consideration to Maintenance of Traffic (MOT) phasing.

"Almost all elements of permanent construction are now under way. Bridge construction is in progress at 143rd, 139th, 135th, Tomahawk Creek, Blue Valley Parkway, Indian Creek, College Avenue, North-Branch Creek and I-435. Many of the bridges include mechanically stabilized earth [MSE] walls. Between the bridges, both roadway grading, detention basin excavation and fill area grading is taking place."

Storm drainage work is occurring in these areas, with both reinforced concrete pipe (RCP) and concrete box culverts (CBC) being placed. The CBCs utilize both pre-cast sections and cast-in-place work, depending on foundation and embankment situations.

"Many of the bridges and/or drainage pipes utilize soil-nail walls, or similar, to support excavation," said Gullikson. "In addition to general grading for the mainline, sections call for 12-inch subgrade stabilization; 4-inch cement-treated base [CTB]; and 12-inch PCCP pavement, all which are ongoing. The project involves extensive MOT with approximately 50,000 linear feet of temporary barrier currently onsite protecting work areas from travel lanes."

The project also requires construction of almost a dozen noise walls. Approximate wall locations and heights were determined by specific studies. The locations were refined based on the design-build approach with roadway, utility and other alignments.

Supplemental geotechnical borings determined shaft size and other detail elements. The contractor will self-perform construction of some walls and will rely on a subcontractor to supplement and maintain construction progress, which includes close coordination with fabricators for delivery schedules.

Gullikson explained that developing plans for the design-build project was critical for the start of construction.

"We formed a very early partnership between the contractor, designers and KDOT to determine appropriate release packages either by scope, areas, stages of project wide. This led to approximately 80 release packages with varying due dates, considering the construction schedule, as well as permitting, procurement, review timelines, etc."

Gullikson said in addition to dealing with a fast-paced schedule and working near live traffic, crews have struggled with utilities in the field.

"Aside from the sheer number and proximity of utilities, identifying the locations themselves has been challenging, and has led to additional potholing in some cases to ensure safety and avoid potential strikes.

"Other challenges come from unforeseen site conditions. Rock was anticipated within several excavation areas, but has varied from preliminary expectations and, in some cases, has added to the schedule duration."

The JV is self-performing all grading, storm sewer, bridges, temporary and permanent paving. The project has two concrete batch plants on-site, along with a CTB pugmill, pavers, excavators, dozers, loaders, a Caterpillar 623 scraper, Caterpillar 740 off-road haul trucks, rollers, cranes, forklifts, a manlift, light plants and generators.

The U.S. 69 express lanes are scheduled to be completed by the end of 2025. The entire project, including the West 167th Street interchange, should be finished by 2026. Gullikson credited the field staff, JV partners, KDOT, inspection staff, subcontractors and suppliers with laying the foundation for a successful project.

"The strong relationships and partnership approach among these parties has led to a great start and provides confidence that we'll be able to share future success stories." CEG

[fhmiii]

These are just like the HOT lanes on I-85 in Gwinnett County, GA.  One lane of "express" in each direction.

https://69express.ksdot.gov/express-lanes/#etl-configuration

Like Gwinnett, they'll almost certainly do little to nothing to alleviate actual daily congestion, but they will be a nice revenue generator when there's an accident and people are paying $1.25 per mile to go 5 mph faster than everyone else.

IMO, these single-lane "express" corridors don't really work.  If they'd decided to have reversible express lanes, like the ones on I-75 in Cobb and Clayton Counties, that would've made more sense.

[Bobby5280]

I really have a strong disdain for single lane "express" lanes. Their "value" is shown the very instant a slow-poke douche is tooling along at 10-20mph under the posted speed limit. Motorists using a tolled express lane on I-25 in Colorado are likely experience the next level of pissed off when they get stuck behind a slow poke.

I'm not a big fan of reversible lanes either. But a PAIR of reversible express lanes is far better than single express lanes in each direction. I don't know why there are so many of these single lane things in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro. That goes along with the stupidity of 11' wide skinny lanes that seem to be a growing trend.

[Plutonic Panda]

I’ve been saving that for years. Single tolled express always almost always are obstructed by some Karen(or male equivalent) who fucks the lanes up.

[kphoger]

If someone going the speed limit or slightly under the limit renders an express lane worthless–then is the main roadway really all that backed up to begin with?  Which is to say, if the main roadway is so backed up that the express lane would save you time, then generally it doesn't matter if there's a slowpoke in the express lane:  it's still saving you time.

[fhmiii]

If someone going the speed limit or slightly under the limit renders an express lane worthless–then is the main roadway really all that backed up to begin with?  Which is to say, if the main roadway is so backed up that the express lane would save you time, then generally it doesn't matter if there's a slowpoke in the express lane:  it's still saving you time.

The issue I saw in Atlanta (and bear in mind, I never paid for toll lanes) was that traffic would be slowed down to, let's say, 35mph-or-so in the general lanes.  The express lane would be clear with a speed limit of 55mph to 65mph, but some idiot in the express lane would be going right along with the slow traffic, backing up the lane behind them.  This caused drivers to illegally cross the double-white line to pass him, creating even more congestion and a safety hazard in the regular travel lanes.

While reversible double lanes won't stop some idiot from driving slowly on the interstate, it does offer the opportunity to safely pass the offending vehicle.

The main reason for building single express lanes on I-85 in Atlanta was that it was (comparatively) inexpensive to convert the existing HOV lanes, which suffered the same problem, into toll lanes.  US-169 in Kansas has no such existing infrastructure, and most of the length where it is a 4-lane highway on this project could easily fit reversible lanes in the existing median.

[zzcarp]

If someone going the speed limit or slightly under the limit renders an express lane worthless–then is the main roadway really all that backed up to begin with?  Which is to say, if the main roadway is so backed up that the express lane would save you time, then generally it doesn't matter if there's a slowpoke in the express lane:  it's still saving you time.

The issue I saw in Atlanta (and bear in mind, I never paid for toll lanes) was that traffic would be slowed down to, let's say, 35mph-or-so in the general lanes.  The express lane would be clear with a speed limit of 55mph to 65mph, but some idiot in the express lane would be going right along with the slow traffic, backing up the lane behind them.  This caused drivers to illegally cross the double-white line to pass him, creating even more congestion and a safety hazard in the regular travel lanes.

While reversible double lanes won't stop some idiot from driving slowly on the interstate, it does offer the opportunity to safely pass the offending vehicle.

The main reason for building single express lanes on I-85 in Atlanta was that it was (comparatively) inexpensive to convert the existing HOV lanes, which suffered the same problem, into toll lanes.  US-169 in Kansas has no such existing infrastructure, and most of the length where it is a 4-lane highway on this project could easily fit reversible lanes in the existing median.

The illegal lane shifts have also happened on the HOT lanes here in Denver. And, yes, it is tempting to make the lane change when someone is crawling in the HOT lane. The Colorado legislature passed a law to allow for lane enforcement cameras with a $250/pop fine for the state coffers. They started on I-70 this summer and will be in effect on all HOT lanes this fall.

[sprjus4]

I don’t understand why more areas, such as Atlanta, don’t use the flex posts between lanes to prevent lane changes - or at least discourage them.

That may also be why people go 40 mph alongside stopped traffic instead of 70 mph… because someone might jump into the lane illegally.

The flex posts would provide more of a barrier and encourage faster driving.

[sprjus4]

If someone going the speed limit or slightly under the limit renders an express lane worthless–then is the main roadway really all that backed up to begin with?  Which is to say, if the main roadway is so backed up that the express lane would save you time, then generally it doesn't matter if there's a slowpoke in the express lane:  it's still saving you time.

An example of Hampton Roads Express Lanes in Virginia under construction… they are building a lot of single express lanes in many areas. There may not be much traffic, but it still may be incentivizing to use them regardless (especially if one is HOV and free) because the speed limit is 65 mph vs. the general purpose 55 mph.

But the second someone is putting along at 60-62 mph in the 65 mph express lane, and you come up doing 65-70 mph, and you cannot physically pass them for miles, will be incredibly aggravating. Especially if the mainline is moving faster at that point.

This would be discouraged if VDOT would just raise the general purpose speed limit to 65 mph… which it should be in most areas… and is the design speed of most roads in the area… but that makes too much sense.

[jeffandnicole]

I don’t understand why more areas, such as Atlanta, don’t use the flex posts between lanes to prevent lane changes - or at least discourage them.

That may also be why people go 40 mph alongside stopped traffic instead of 70 mph… because someone might jump into the lane illegally.

The flex posts would provide more of a barrier and encourage faster driving.

Seeing it in action in the Miami area, it discourages changes; doesn't fully stop them.  Motorists realized the things bend when driving over them and they pop right back up.  So when they're stopped in the general purpose lanes, they wait for what they believe is a decent gap, then they ride over them into the toll lanes.

[Rothman]

If someone going the speed limit or slightly under the limit renders an express lane worthless–then is the main roadway really all that backed up to begin with?  Which is to say, if the main roadway is so backed up that the express lane would save you time, then generally it doesn't matter if there's a slowpoke in the express lane:  it's still saving you time.

An example of Hampton Roads Express Lanes in Virginia under construction… they are building a lot of single express lanes in many areas. There may not be much traffic, but it still may be incentivizing to use them regardless (especially if one is HOV and free) because the speed limit is 65 mph vs. the general purpose 55 mph.

But the second someone is putting along at 60-62 mph in the 65 mph express lane, and you come up doing 65-70 mph, and you cannot physically pass them for miles, will be incredibly aggravating. Especially if the mainline is moving faster at that point.

This would be discouraged if VDOT would just raise the general purpose speed limit to 65 mph… which it should be in most areas… and is the design speed of most roads in the area… but that makes too much sense.

See I-91's HOV lanes in CT... Silliest design ever.  It's great to beat traffic...until you get stuck behind Grandma.

To be fair, it was an early implementation...

[fhmiii]

I don’t understand why more areas, such as Atlanta, don’t use the flex posts between lanes to prevent lane changes - or at least discourage them.

That may also be why people go 40 mph alongside stopped traffic instead of 70 mph… because someone might jump into the lane illegally.

The flex posts would provide more of a barrier and encourage faster driving.

Then you're discouraging revenue generation:  $100 to $250 fines.