Final Kansas City Levee System Contract Awarded

After completing the design phase three years earlier than planned, the Kansas City Engineer District has awarded the fourth and final construction contract to improve the Kansas City Levees System to the Lane Construction Company of Cheshire, Conn. The $257.7 million construction contract, including $38.8 million of future options, will complete 17 miles of levee and floodwall improvements to the Argentine, Armourdale and Central Industrial District Levee Units along the Kansas River in Kansas City, Kansas and Missouri.

The project requires more than 1 million cubic yards of earthwork, nearly 25,000 feet of new concrete floodwall, 120 new relief wells, replacement of 12 high-traffic railroad closure structures, improvements to nearly 40 drainage structures and modifications to more than 175 existing utilities. Construction is anticipated to begin this summer and be complete in spring 2026.

The overall $529 million federal investment will improve the reliability and resiliency of the existing Kansas Citys Levees system, improve deteriorated and aging infrastructure and reduce the risk of overtopping by 200 percent, the Corps said.  More than 25,000 residents and employees, $10 billion of infrastructure and nationally significant warehousing, transportation and railroad distribution centers located within the leveed areas will directly benefit from the safety improvements.

The Kansas City District was able to complete the design phase three years earlier by partnering with numerous architect/engineering firms, including HNTB Corporation from Kansas City, Mo.; Midland Surveying from Maryville, Mo.; and Terracon from Lenexa, Kan.

Caption for photo: Aerial view of the Kansas River overlooking the Central Industrial District Levee Unit (foreground) and Armourdale Levee Unit (background). (Photo courtesy of Kansas City Engineer District)