Johnson County, Kan. OKs $12 Million for Storm Water Efforts

Slightly more than $12 million for storm water projects in Johnson County , Kan, including relevant cities, won County Board approval in late September.

Kent Lage, storm water program manager, said a big part of the plan included nine design/construction projects in seven cities costing $9.7 million, with the county's share being $8 million, in a report in the Johnscon County Sun.

According to Lage, the cities need the projects to continue flood mitigation efforts. Lage said the goal is to continue a partnership by the county and cities to provide a positive impact on efforts to stop the creation of future flooding problems, protect the public, minimize the impacts to the environment, and comply with unfunded federal mandates.

In the 2006 plan, two capital projects each are in Shawnee and unincorporated Johnson County with single projects in Leawood, Prairie Village, Fairway, Roeland Park and Overland Park.

The largest storm water project, costing more than $2.6 million, involves improvements from 48th Street and Mohawk Road to 53rd Street and Reinhardt Road in Roeland Park.

Projects in Shawnee involve storm drainage improvements to 52nd and Charles streets for $952,000 and Vahalla Drive, north of 67th Terrace, for $930,000.

Projects in unincorporated Johnson County include 180th Street and Lone Elm Road for $318,550 and 160th Street and Kranker Drive for $1,190,000.

Other major projects include $1,290,788 for 153rd and Rosewood streets in Leawood; $1,246,300 for Somerset, Delmar and Fontana roadways south of 83rd Street, in Prairie Village; $216,600 for Lockton to Windsor streets in Fairway; and $897,250 for 79th Street and Grandview Road in Overland Park.

Eight supplementary projects to support other storm water initiatives cost almost $2.6 million, including maintaining the county's stream and rain gauge network that is part of a flood-warning system; updating floodplain mapping information as part of the countywide watershed studies; and $1.4 million in funding of studies.

Source: Johnson County Sun