Overland Park wants $850K in federal funds for traffic signal upgrades

Overland Park has requested $850,000 in federal funds to help finance the replacement of nearly 200 aging traffic signal controllers across the city. 

U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids’ office supported the request through the annual federal appropriations process.

Last week, the three-term Democrat visited an aging signal controller in southern Overland Park near 127th Street and Antioch Road. It’s one of several across the city that are too old to do any updates or manufacturer repairs. 

Roughly 70% of Overland Park’s traffic signal controllers are aging

Across the city, an estimated 190 traffic signal controllers — the boxes that program traffic lights — out of about 270 total are reaching the end of their functional life.

Davids said that raises safety concerns and has potential security implications, which makes this project a good candidate for federal money. 

“Traffic signals, infrastructure, keeping people safe and upgrading for cybersecurity purposes is exactly the kind of project that can make it through the rigorous vetting and the return on investment that we want to see for them for our taxpayer dollars,” Davids said. 

Overland Park’s $850,000 request would also help cover the cost of some street lighting improvements.

Davids made more than $10M in requests

In all, Davids has supported 11 Johnson County requests for federal funds, mostly related to local infrastructure and public safety projects. 

Plus, her office requested funds for an updated project to the Garnett, Kansas, water treatment plant and to help replace the KC Connect Bistate River Bridge in Wyandotte County. 

Other Johnson County area projects included in Davids’ request: 

• $850,000 for the Overland Park 82nd Street realignment and a downtown pocket park
• $959,752 for the Edgerton Dwyker Farms sewer extension
• $959,752 for the De Soto Water Treatment Plant expansion
• $959,752 for the U.S. Highway 69 sewer relocations
• $959,752 for the Olathe Water Treatment Plant No. 2 improvements
• $850,000 for the next phase of Mission Foxridge Drive improvements
• $850,000 for the Gardner Southeast Growth Area Interceptor Project
• $637,195 for Johnson County Emergency Operations Center updates
• $500,00 for the De Soto Astra Water Tower
• $500,000 for Leawood to improve Tomahawk Creek Parkway 
• $150,000 for Johnson County Regional Police Academy training vehicles 

Next steps:

• The appropriations requests from Davids and other members of Congress now go to the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations. 
• If ultimately approved, the money would be for fiscal year 2024. 
• The exact timeline on actual appropriation decisions is unclear, but Davids forecasted that there could be some movement early next year.