Demolition and rebuilding timeline set for the Grand Boulevard bridge

Traffic is expected to flow over a rebuilt Grand Boulevard bridge by Dec. 1, according to a demolition and rebuilding contract announced Wednesday.

The bridge, a vital artery that spans Interstate 670 on the south side of downtown Kansas City, was closed May 6 after inspectors found stress fractures.

The Missouri Department of Transportation said it awarded a $3.5 million emergency contract to Clarkson Construction Co.

Demolition is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 26 and continue until 5 a.m. Monday, Aug. 29. All lanes of eastbound and westbound I-670 will be closed during demolition.

The department said a separate contract, awarded to resurface I-670, will be coordinated with the demolition work to reduce traffic disruptions.

Construction on a new bridge is expected to begin immediately after demolition. .

Transportation officials said vehicle traffic should be diverted around downtown using Interstate 70, which bypasses the business core to the north. Traffic on Grand is being detoured east to the Oak Street bridge.

The suggested alternate route for pedestrians is on Walnut Street, one block west of Grand.

The highway department and the city of Kansas City said the new Grand bridge will include bike paths and wider sidewalks.

This story was originally published August 10, 2016 at 4:10 PM with the headline "Demolition and rebuilding timeline set for the Grand Boulevard bridge."