Overland Park sprawls across the heart of Johnson County, stretching from older neighborhoods near I-35 in the north to newer subdivisions and open land in the south. I-435 loops through the middle of the city, connecting it with Kansas City, Missouri and the rest of the metro. US 69 runs north-south as a freeway through the center of town, and Metcalf Avenue, which carries US 169 through the city, is the main commercial corridor. I-35 crosses the northwest corner toward Olathe in one direction and downtown Kansas City in the other.
Inside the city, College Boulevard, 119th Street, 135th Street and 95th Street carry most east-west traffic, while Quivira Road, Antioch Road and Nall Avenue serve as north-south arterials. US 69 and I-435 back up at rush hour, especially near their interchange and around the office parks. Metcalf Avenue crawls with shopping traffic on weekends. Most neighborhoods have driveways and attached garages, and the wide suburban streets give a mechanic room to work without blocking anyone. The far south side still has stretches of two-lane road where subdivisions meet farmland.
Kansas City International Airport is a long drive north in Missouri, so many travelers leave cars there for days at a time. RideKC buses serve parts of Overland Park, but most people drive, many commuting to the office parks along College Boulevard and I-435. A repair done at home or in an office lot saves a long drive across the metro and a wasted afternoon in a waiting room. Many households in the southern subdivisions run two or three cars, which makes keeping them all maintained a real job.