The Shawnee County Board of County Commissioners on Jan. 2 approved a $16,000,000 project budget and authorized soliciting construction bids for a road improvement project described on the agenda as “Northwest 40 Sixth Sixth Street” between Northwest Fielding and Northwest Rochester roads.

Courtney House, director of public works, told commissioners that plans are complete and a bid letting is scheduled for Feb. 12, subject to change, and that construction would begin in early to mid‑March. "We anticipate a 2 year construction," House said, and outlined four construction phases including a roundabout at the west intersection near Green Hills Road and a bridge over Half Day Creek.

The project will be funded entirely by proceeds from the county’s half‑cent countywide retailer sales tax program (2017–2031), House said. She told commissioners the current project budget is $16,000,000, noting the original program estimate for this project was about $9,300,000: "So it's nearly doubled," she said, adding the design does not include major intersection reconstructions at Rochester because that intersection has already been improved.

House described traffic staging: the first two phases — including the roundabout and bridge segment — will require closing the road to through traffic; the remaining phases will be built under traffic. She also said the project will widen most of the roadway to three lanes, retain a short two‑lane segment in a deep‑fill area, add a 10‑foot multi‑use path on the north side and a 5‑foot sidewalk on the south side.

Commissioners asked about the scope at Rochester Road; House said the project will stop at the approach to the existing roundabout at Rochester. Commissioner Aaron Mayes moved to approve the budget and solicitation; Commissioner Rippon seconded. The motion passed, 3–0.

The next step is the advertised bid letting, currently set for Feb. 12, with construction expected to begin in early to mid‑March and to continue about two years.