A judge ruled Wednesday that Tonganoxie can open its wallet and kick in money to help fund improvements to a county road.

That county road, if upgraded, would serve as a link between Tonganoxie and a new interchange on the Kansas Turnpike.

Leavenworth County District Judge David King’s decision came after attorneys argued the validity of a petition that about 300 people had signed in an effort to block the city from contributing $1 million in sales tax revenues to the road project. In November, the city filed the lawsuit in Leavenworth County District Court to determine the validity of the petition, which sought a public vote on any city contribution.

“It gives us the go-ahead to go and put money to the project, but it’s really going to be what the county wants to do or if they want us involved,” Mayor Mike Vestal said. “The ball is in the county’s court right now.”

Leavenworth County is taking the lead on the project, which calls for revamping six miles of the north-south road between Tonganoxie and Kansas Highway 32.

The Kansas Turnpike Authority has said it would construct a new interchange only if the road were upgraded to handle additional traffic.