Shawnee County approves $820,000 regional transportation study for proposed KTA interchange

The Shawnee County Board of County Commissioners on June 18 approved Contract C2026220, a consultant-led regional transportation study tied to a proposed Kansas Turnpike Authority (KTA) interchange near the city of Auburn. The board voted unanimously to authorize the contract, which was presented with a $820,000 total cap.

Curtney, identified in the record as the director of public works, told commissioners the consultant (transcribed as variations of "Benish/Bennish/Benesh/Badesh") had earlier trimmed an east-end portion of the study to reduce costs, but that KTA asked the county to reinstate that piece at an additional roughly $70,000. KTA increased its share of the project from 35% to 40, Curtney said, which the presenter said reduced Shawnee County's net additional cost to about $4,500 while restoring the east-end analysis.

Curtney described the county's payment source as the Special Road Improvement Fund and said having a completed regional plan would strengthen future grant applications. "I think that's a great value," Curtney said, summarizing the county's bargaining with the partner agency.

Commissioners asked about funding details; Curtney confirmed no alternative funding source was found and that the county portion would come from the special road fund. Commissioner Ripon moved to approve the contract; Commissioner Mays seconded, and the motion carried unanimously.

The contract approval restores the study element that examines where the new interchange would tie into U.S. 75 on the project's east end and commits county staff to work with the consultant and KTA on the study deliverables. The board did not set an interim reporting schedule in the public record at the meeting.