Johnson County allocates 2023 funding for road and stormwater projects

JOHNSON COUNTY, Kan. (KCTV) - The Johnson County Board of Commissioners authorized more than $34.3 million in infrastructure funding for two Johnson County programs aimed at improving local roadways and stormwater systems in 2023.

Via separate unanimous votes, the board approved the County Assistance Road System Program and the Stormwater Management Program for the upcoming year. The Urban Services Division of the Johnson County Public Works Department manages both programs.

“For almost four decades, Johnson County Government has invested more than $700 million in road infrastructure with CARS and enhanced flood control efforts with SMP,” said Board Chairman Ed Eilert. “These are community investments and strong win-win examples of joint funding through county and city collaboration.”

According to a release from Johnson County, the CARS program will allocate slightly more than $17.2 million in 2023 for 21 projects in 13 cities. Most of the 2023 projects consist of maintenance to existing roadways.

Funding for the various projects ranged from $77,000 to Roeland Park to improve 48th Street from Roe Boulevard to Roe Lane to $4,350,000 to Olathe for improvements to 119th Street from Woodland Road to Northgate Street.

Five other projects have funding of more than $1 million, including:

$1,649,000 for Foxridge Drive from 51st Street to Lamar Avenue in Mission.
$1,401,000 for Nieman Road from Shawnee Mission Park to the south city limits of Shawnee/Lenexa. Most of the project is in Shawnee. Lenexa is receiving $150,000 for its share of the road improvements.
$1,347,000 for Merriam Drive from Johnson Drive to 55th Street to Switzer Road in Merriam.
$1,177,000 for 199th Street from Ridgeview to Renner roads in Spring Hill.
$1,451,000 for 167th Street from Switzer Road to Antioch Road in Overland Park

The Stormwater Management Program next year totals slightly more than $17.1 million. The SMP is allocating $1.5 million for voluntary home buyout funding to acquire and remove structures found in high flood risk and erosion areas. Another $1.5 million will be used for water quality improvement and preservation efforts.

A 1/10-cent sales tax authorized by the Kansas Legislature in 1988 helps fund the SMP.