Focus Area: Legal; Infrastructure
Staff Contact: Ron Shaver; Mary Jaeger; Nate Baldwin
Subject: Approval of an engineer’s survey and authorizing the acquisition of additional land for the I-35 & Santa Fe Interchange Reconstruction/Santa Fe Corridor (Ridgeview to Mur-Len) improvement project [City Project No. 3-C-025-18].
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Consideration of Ordinance No. 26-01 approving an engineer’s survey and authorizing the acquisition of land for the I-35 & Santa Fe Interchange Reconstruction/Santa Fe Corridor (Ridgeview to Mur-Len) improvement project [City Project No. 3-C-025-18].
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Summary:
Project No. 3-C-025-18 was authorized by Resolution No. 24-1014 on April 2, 2024. This project will include the work along Santa Fe, a new interchange at I-35 and auxiliary lanes from Santa Fe to 119th Street. The estimated total cost for this project is $199,277,737. This includes preliminary and final design, utility relocation, survey, staff time, land acquisition, construction, construction engineering and construction inspection.
Land acquisition is currently underway. Utility relocations are expected to begin in early 2026 and continue through 2027. The auxiliary lanes on I-35 are tentatively scheduled to begin construction in late 2026, with Santa Fe corridor/interchange work tentatively scheduled to start in late 2027.
On November 19, 2024, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 24-1064, authorizing a survey of land necessary to be acquired for the project. Also on November 19, 2024, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 24-53, approving the survey of certain tracts and authorizing the filing of an eminent domain petition in Johnson County District Court to acquire 2 properties. On April 1, 2025, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 25-09, approving the survey of an additional 12 tracts and authorizing the filing of a second eminent domain petition to acquire those tracts. All of the tracts in those two condemnation actions were total takings and have been acquired, with all businesses relocated from those sites. On November 4, 2025, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 25-46, approving the survey of 16 tracts involving permanent road right-of-way, temporary construction easements and permanent easements. That condemnation action is ongoing.
Permanent road right-of-way, temporary construction easements and permanent easements are required on 75 tracts of land for the project (excluding those involving total takings previously authorized and acquired). Of these tracts, staff has come to an agreement on 32 tracts, leaving 43 tracts to either be negotiated or acquired via eminent domain.
On November 4, 2025, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 25-46, approving the survey of 16 tracts and authorizing the filing of condemnation petitions on those tracts.
The attached ordinance (Attachment A) approves the survey of the final 27 tracts of land involving permanent road right-of-way, temporary construction easements and permanent easements necessary for the Project that have not already been authorized. The Ordinance also authorizes the filing of an eminent domain petition in Johnson County District Court to acquire these interests as needed. Tracts in this Condemnation Batch are: 24, 25, 26, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46A, 47, 47A, 48, 49, 50, 52, 57, 69A, 72B, 72C, 74A, 74B, 75C, 80, 80A, 84, 84B, 85A, and 85C.
Staff will continue negotiations on all remaining tracts to acquire the necessary interests on these tracts without having to acquire them through the eminent domain process.
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Financial Impact:
Funding for the Santa Fe, Ridgeview to Mur-Len, Improvements Project includes:
GO Bonds $ 40,000,000
KDOT (State) $ 65,211,939
KDOT(Federal) $ 94,065,799
Total $199,277,738
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Action Needed:
Adopt Ordinance No. 26-01 approving an engineer’s survey and authorizing the acquisition of land for the I-35 & Santa Fe Interchange Reconstruction/Santa Fe Corridor (Ridgeview to Mur-Len) improvement project [City Project No. 3-C-025-18].
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Attachment(s):
A: Eminent Domain Ordinance with tract survey exhibits