Leawood Heritage Stormwater Improvements
Overhill Road to west of Cherokee Lane, south of 88th Street, City of Leawood, Kansas
A neighborhood in Leawood, Kansas was experiencing home flooding. That same section also had a concrete channel in need of repair. We leveraged Johnson County Stormwater Management Program (SMP) funds to deliver an economic and efficient solution to residents. Using this approach, the city was able to solve the flooding issue and replace the deteriorating infrastructure.
The city’s primary goal was to keep homeowners happy. Aesthetic improvements, limiting the impact of construction, and one-on-one meetings helped achieve that.
The Affinis team carried out storm sewer improvements to the waterway, which was over 1,700 linear feet. The existing infrastructure had a concrete trapezoidal channel with double cell, 7×5-foot reinforced concrete boxes (RCBs). In the 5-year storm event, the roadways overtopped, and houses were threatened by flooding.
Public involvement was a key component to success. The Affinis team met with each of the 22 property owners individually and walked through the impacts on their properties. They worked with each homeowner to adjust the design.
Because of the project’s location, numerous aesthetic treatments were added. These included a split rail fence and painted, stamped stone walls. Additionally, an existing, wooden bridge was lifted during construction and replaced intact at one resident’s request. Details like these helped earn the project an ACEC Kansas Engineering Excellence award.