Sedgwick County commissioners have agreed to extend a partnership with the Kansas Department of Transportation for a proposed future highway project.
The county has been buying right-of-way for a proposed Northwest Bypass that would connect K-96 near Maize with Highway 54 near Goddard. The partnership will be extended another five years, starting in 2021. The county has budgeted $1 million for right-of-way purchases in 2021 and the state has agreed to match that.
The county has been buying right-of-way since 2006. Commissioner David Dennis said about one third of the needed property has been purchased. He said the project represents a huge economic development opportunity for Maize, Goddard and west Wichita.
No plans have been made for construction on the project, and actual work on the bypass is not expected for several years.
