City of Olathe Supports Local Economy with Infrastructure Improvements

Located between K-7 and Old 56, South Hamilton Circle is a busy, industrial area. With lots of truck traffic, the roadway was in poor condition. To support area businesses, the City of Olathe wanted to improve the infrastructure here.

The City had recently invested in a nearby police station. They had also upgraded Enterprise Road, which connects to South Hamilton Circle. With a planned fire station renovation, it was time to make these much-needed improvements.

To create the best roadway conditions, the City decided to move forward with a full reconstruction. Affinis was selected for the project, which involved our survey, roadway, stormwater, and traffic teams. The new design is 36-feet-wide, which is typical of collectors. It has an extra cement treated base to accommodate the heavy traffic. In addition to new asphalt, we designed a new sidewalk along the west side.

Along with fixing the roadway’s wear and tear, the City took this opportunity to rehabilitate an existing water line. Stormwater facilities were also updated where needed. Corrugated metal pipe (CMP) was swapped out for reinforced concrete pipe (RCP). The inlet tops were replaced as well.

The project was split into two phases to accommodate funding. The first phase is currently under construction. It includes the roadway section from K-7 to the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) railroad crossing. The water line rehabilitation and reconstruction are part of this phase. The second phase spans from the BNSF railroad crossing to Old 56. This approach allowed the City to move forward with improvements, while working within their budget.

Our traffic team modified the location of the traffic signal heads at Old 56 to match the new intersection alignment and created a plan for traffic control during construction. Pavement markings and new street lighting were also included in the scope. New pedestrian signal poles and ADA sidewalk ramps were added to the K-7 intersection to make crossing the roadway safer and more accessible for all users.

To keep the project moving forward, our team coordinated with the BNSF Railroad. They have an at grade crossing within the project site. Together, we worked to find the best design solution for the new sidewalk. We coordinated the installation of their new concrete crossing panels as well.

By making these improvements, the City of Olathe is showing support for businesses. These changes connect to their larger plans for the area. With a new police station and a fire station in the works, investments like these move their community forward.