Expanding 69 Highway

KDOT is holding a meeting on expanding 69 Highway and possibly adding toll lanes.

THIS MORNING WE AREHELPING YOU PLAN YOURDAY...ESPECIALLY IF YOU DRIVEON 69 HIGHWAY INOVERLAND PARK.YOU WILL WANT TO SETASIDE TIME THISAFTERNOON FOR K-DOT"S FIRST PUBLICMEETING ON EXPANDING69 HIGHWAY...AND POSSIBLY INCLUDINGTOLL LANES.41 ACTION NEWSREPORTER CHARLIEBRINGS US THE STORY.BEFORE ANYTHINGCHANGES ON 69 HIGHWAYBEHIND ME - KDOT HAS TODO AN ENVIRONMENTALSTUDY.IT'LL CONSIDER WHATIMPACTS ADDING LANES TOTHE HIGHWAY WILL HAVE.WE GOT TO THIS POINTBECAUSE KDOT IDENTIFIEDISSUES ON THE HIGHWAYFROM 103 TO 179THSTREET.PARTICULARLY IN THERUSH HOUR TIMESTRAFFIC WOULDBOTTLENECK ALONG THEHIGHWAY.KDOT BELIEVES ADDING ALANE NORTH AND SOUTHWOULD REDUCECONGESTION ANDIMPROVE SAFETY.ENGINEERS ARE ALSOLOOKING AT THEPOSSIBILITY OF MAKINGTHOSE NEW LANESEXPRESS LANES - WHICHWOULD REQUIRE A TOLL.EXISTING LANES CANNOTBE TOLLED - WOULDREMAIN FREE.Deputy Secretary LindseyDouglas // KansasDepartment of Transportation7:44-"By allowing that additionalcapacity whether or not youwant to pay the toll, it's stillgoing to improve your traveltime bc people are going todecide to pay it.so if youstay in that lane, you're goingto be benefiting as wellbecause of the traffic thatchooses to go into the toll."PEOPLE WE SPOKE TOWEREN'T TOO HAPPY WITHTOLLS.Daniel Bauerkemper // Driveson 69 Highway daily23:00:16-23:00:24"I'm pretty ah, pretty much notwith that idea mostly becauseusually that is a steppingstone to more tolls, moretaxation and that sort ofthing."---butted together---Odessa Meadows // Drives on69 Highway daily23:02:35-23:02:43"No, I wouldn't pay it [thetoll].I would take the streets.Pause.

Because where I workit's not that far for me to takethe streets."KDOT WANTS TO HEARFROM YOU.IF YOU CAN'T ATTENDTODAY'S VIRTUAL MEETINGFROM 430 TO 630 - KDOT ISHOSTING AN ONLINE OPENHOUSE UNTIL THE END OFTHE MONTH WHERE YOUCAN SUBMIT FEEDBACK.WE HAVE A LINK TO THEPROJECT UP ON KSHB.COMRIGHT NOW.IN OP CHARLIE KEEGAN 41ACTION NEWS TODAY.TAYLOR, YOU REPORTEDON THIS IN 2020 WHEN THEPLAN WAS FIRSTANNOUNCED.

CHARLIEMENTIONED THOSEEXPRESS LANES AS APOSSIBILITY.

HOW WOULDTHOSE WORK?LINDSAY, IF APPROVED, ITWOULD BE THE FIRSTEXPRESS LANE IN THESTATE OF KANSAS, ANDKANSAS WOULD BECOMETHE 12TH STATE TO HAVEONE.

THERE WOULD BESPECIFIC ENTRY AND EXITPOINTS TO ENTER THEEXPRESS LANE, AND THEPRICE OF THE TOLL WOULDCHANGE BASED ON TIMEOF DAY, AND LEVEL OFCONGESTION ON THEROAD.