RecumBum

The intersection of 199th & Ridgeview in southern Johnson County, Kansas is now open for traffic. This intersection, along with a mile of 199th street from Ridgeview to Woodland, has been closed since spring. The following are a few photos of this new roadway:

199th & Ridgeview Intersection, featuring dedicated left-turn lanes on 199th

199th Street West of Ridgeview – Why is there no shoulder at the intersection?

199th Street West of Ridgeview – Beautiful wide shoulder

199th Street Near Woodland Road – Once again, the shoulder disappears.

The new section of 199th Street features a wide paved shoulder, making for what should be a very safe and convenient mile for both bicycles and motor vehicles. Unfortunately, the shoulder is not carried through the intersections, either at Ridgeview or at Woodland. The shoulder just disappears into nothingness, and it’s unclear why. There was certainly plenty of space on both sides of the road for the additional few feet of pavement.

With the construction at Highway 69 also completed, 199th Street is once again rideable from the state line west to Edgerton (with a small detour at Woodland, as the overpass is still under construction), and Ridgeview is also open from 191st to 207th.

It’s probably only a question of time until the remainder of 199th is similarly widened. It’s a bit of a mixed blessing, as better roads will probably lead to more traffic, but still, it’s a worthwhile tradeoff. As long as there are reasonable shoulders and reasonable speeds, the increased traffic is not a problem (see 175th Street, which made that same transition a few years ago, and is now one of the safest and most popular cycling routes in southern Johnson County).