Johnson County enjoys the advantage of being part of the Kansas City MSA, the nation’s only major metropolitan area within 250 miles of the geographic, population, and production centers of the United States. In addition, the central time zone allows more hours each day to conduct business than on both coasts.

According to Fortune magazine, Kansas City is the hub of 66 major metropolitan areas within a 600-mile radius. Those metro areas account for a population of approximately 55 million people, 38 percent of the nation’s manufacturers and 43 percent of its wholesalers.

Such a central location makes Kansas City a desirable place to do business, and Johnson County makes it even easier with its excellent access. For business executives in those 66 cities who find flying a convenient way to reach Kansas City, the New Century AirCenter and the Johnson County Executive Airport provide an alternative to KCI.

The county’s highway system includes U.S. highways 169 and 69 serving the central and eastern communities and state highways 7 and 10 that connect the county to the rest of the state. The portion of I-35 that runs through Johnson County is crucial both as a link to downtown Kansas City and as part of the international trade route that stretches from Canada to Mexico. The I-435 loop ties the county to the rest of the metro area.

Such a network of roadways is necessary to move workers in and out of the county. Because the county is not just a collection of bedroom communities but is also a collection of business districts, many Johnson Countians have the opportunity to work near where they live. Whether traveling to work by highway or simply driving a few blocks, the average work trip for Johnson County residents is 13 percent shorter than the national average.

Still, the county is always looking for ways to make good even better. The JO, Johnson County’s bus system, ties into Kansas City’s ATA network of bus lines, and the county’s board of commissioners is seriously studying the feasibility of a commuter rail line running along the I-35 corridor in the future..