Businesses express concern as 119th Street at U.S. 69 closes for 60 days

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (KCTV) – As part of the 69Express Project, 119th Street between Grant Street and Farley/Three Lakes Parkway and the U.S. 69 ramps in Overland Park closed on Friday for the next 60 days.

“We are closing the fourth ramp,” said Steve Rockers, the 69Express Project Director. “The other three ramps have been closed. It starts the clock for the next 60 days. We are closing the road down to do great changes and it’s a short, intense timeframe to get it done. With the amount of work involved, it’s about as quick as we can do it.”

The detour map and more about the closure can be found here.

“When it’s all done it will be very modern and there will be a new bridge,” said Rockers. “It will be a longer, safer bridge. The ramps will be configured.”

Highland Plaza sits at the intersection of Grant and 119th Streets. Some shop owners say while people have spoken to them about the project and closure, there are still concerns it could affect business.

“There is no question about it,” said Zubair Shah, owner of Kababesh Grill. “It creates a lot of problems for us too because managing the financial situation because of loss of business. Customers have had problems trying to reach here. It’s going to have a big impact on businesses here.”

Others say it’s already happening.

“We started feeling it for the last month or so because they start closing that side and this side,” said “Salah Harzi, manager of Sahara Mediterranean. “It started hurting. I had to cut a little bit on employees and the business is like 50% of what it used to be before.”

Some business owners are hoping for more assistance from the city and KDOT, such as reimbursement for lost business.

Rockers admits 60 days is a long time to wait, but this is the fastest way they can get the job done.

“These types of closures we know will impact businesses and we don’t take that lightly,” said Rockers. “We have met with all the businesses; they are aware of it. We are working with them to put some special signs up.”

As they wait for those signs, businesses want to remind everyone that 119th St may be closed at Grant, but Highland Plaza is still open.

“Please come up and bear an extra 10 minutes to turn around and come back,” said Harzi. “It helps all the local businesses dealing with the harsh time till the end of the year.”

More information about the 69Express Project road closures can be found here.

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