Governor Laura Kelly announced on October 22 that the U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) has awarded the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) nearly $98 million through the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) grant to enhance the I-35 and Santa Fe Street corridor in Olathe.
The I-35 Santa Fe Forward project aims to alleviate congestion in one of the region’s busiest corridors by addressing bottlenecks at the Santa Fe Street and Old Highway 56 interchanges. The project will also improve access management on Santa Fe Street, replace aging infrastructure, and facilitate multimodal access across I-35 to connect communities on both sides of the interstate. Currently, the crash rate around the Santa Fe interchange is more than two and a half times the state average, with nearly half of all incidents being rear-end collisions at lower speeds.
Construction on the I-35 and Santa Fe Street corridor, spanning from Ridgeview Road to Mur-Len Road, is set to commence in late 2026, with an estimated total project cost of nearly $278 million. The City of Olathe is contributing $40 million, while KDOT will provide $140 million through the Eisenhower Legacy Transportation (IKE) Program. This 10-year initiative focuses on improving highways, bridges, public transit, aviation, short-line rail, and bike/pedestrian infrastructure across Kansas.
The INFRA grant, part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, supports multimodal freight and highway projects that enhance transportation safety, efficiency, and reliability in both rural and urban areas. KDOT submitted the grant application in partnership with the City of Olathe, with Governor Kelly advocating for the project through letters to the U.S. DOT.
“The new I-35 and Santa Fe interchange wouldn’t be possible without the partnership of KDOT and the leadership shown by our congressional delegation, including Sen. Jerry Moran, Sen. Roger Marshall, and Rep. Sharice Davids,” Olathe Mayor John Bacon said. “We are grateful for the support of our partners and for their understanding of just how important this project is to Olathe and to the region.”
