Expect delays as major I-35 construction starts next week in Olathe

A major highway construction project gets underway next week along Interstate 35 through Olathe.

The project is likely to have a major impact on drivers as they make their daily commute from southern Johnson County.

On Monday, crews will begin a project to replace northbound and southbound pavement on I-35 between 151st and Santa Fe streets.

Crews will replace the existing concrete pavement and sub-base. Once finished, I-35 will have the same number of lanes with the same width.

The $15.7 million project is expected to completed by early December.

Crews on Monday will start setting up traffic control and constructing median crossovers at both ends of the project.

During the duration of the project, lanes on I-35 will be reduced and the ramp from Santa Fe to southbound I-35 will be closed.

Drivers can expect I-35 to have two lanes in both directions in the work zone, except for northbound I-35 near 151st Street. In that area, the right lane of northbound I-35 will be designated as an exit only lane. Once past the interchange, the ramp from 151st to northbound I-35 will become the right lane.

Lane and ramp closures are scheduled to begin around March 30.

Traffic will be able to detour south on Mur-Len Road and then west on 151st Street to access I-35 or north on Ridgeview Road and east on 119th Street to access I-35.

Under the first phase of the project, I-35 traffic will switch onto the existing northbound lanes while the southbound lanes are replaced.

The ramp from southbound I-35 to Old U.S. 56 will close. Traffic will detour via U.S. 169/Kansas 7 exit and then north on K-7 to old U.S. 56.

The first phase is expected to be completed by the end of July.

Under the second phase, I-35 traffic will shift to the newly constructed southbound lanes so that the northbound lanes can be replaced.

The ramps from Old U.S. 56 to northbound I-35 and from northbound I-35 to Santa Fe/135th will close.

Old U.S. 56 traffic to northbound I-35 will detour north on K-7 and then east on 151st Street or Kansas 10 to access I-35.

There will be three detours for northbound I-35 traffic headed to Santa Fe:

▪ East on 151st Street and then north on Mur-Len Road to access Santa Fe.

▪ West on 119th Street and south on Ridgeview Road to access Santa Fe.

▪ East on 119th and south on Strang Line Road to access Santa Fe.

The work on the second phase is expected to begin in August and be completed by early December.

As part of the project, repairs will be made on the I-35 bridges over the Burlington Northern Railroad tracks and Sheridan Street as well as to the Old U.S. 56 entrance ramp bridge over I-35.

During construction, traffic will be limited to 55 mph through the work zone.

Drivers should seek alternate routes and allow extra time for their commutes.

This story was originally published March 12, 2015 at 12:20 PM with the headline "Expect delays as major I-35 construction starts next week in Olathe."