Shawnee County Kansas Commission Meeting 2026/06/08

The Shawnee County Board of County Commissioners held a work session on June 8, 2026, primarily focused on advancing a transportation corridor study for Auburn Road. The county has selected Alfred Benish and Company as the prime consultant, with JEO and WSP as partners, to conduct a comprehensive study aimed at developing a 10-20 year blueprint for transportation improvements, including a potential new interchange and river crossing. The study scope has been refined to balance technical needs and budget constraints, with Shawnee County covering 65% of the cost and the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) contributing 35%. The study will include traffic modeling, stakeholder engagement, and prioritization of projects to support future funding applications. Public comments also addressed concerns about the environmental and community impacts of proposed AI data centers in the county, urging careful consideration of their utility usage and public burden. No formal votes were recorded during this session, but the commission indicated intent to move forward with the contract and study initiation soon.