I-70 to close in Kansas City, Kansas, for demolition of bridge at Turner Diagonal
Both directions of Interstate 70 between Interstates 435 and 635 in Kansas City, Kansas, will close this weekend for removal of a bridge at the Turner Diagonal Freeway, the Kansas Department of Transportation announced.
The closure will begin at 10 p.m. Friday and continue to 6 a.m. Monday so that crews can remove a bridge and install pipe for the reconfiguration of the interchange in the area.
During the closure, traffic will be routed north on I-435 and I-635 to use State Avenue around the bridge demolition work, the transportation department said.
Before the closure of the interstate, the following ramps will close from 9 p.m. Friday and reopen at 6 a.m. Monday:
▪ Northbound I-435 to eastbound I-70.
▪ Southbound I-435 to eastbound I-70.
▪ 78th Street to eastbound I-70.
▪ Northbound I-635 to westbound I-70.
▪ Southbound I-635 to westbound I-70.
▪ 57th Street to westbound I-70.
The transportation department also announced additional closures related to the Turner Diagonal project this week.
The right lane of eastbound I-70 from 78th Street to the Turner Diagonal will close from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday for concrete paving.
Beginning at 5 a.m. Friday and continuing until Sept. 8., the ramps from northbound and southbound Turner Diagonal to eastbound I-70, the ramps from westbound I-70 to southbound Turner Diagonal and northbound College Parkway and Turner Diagonal from State to Riverview avenues will be closed.
The right lane of both eastbound and westbound I-70 will be closed at the Turner Diagonal from 8 a.m to 3 p.m. Friday for barrier work.
Currently, the ramps from eastbound I-70 to southbound and northbound Turner Diagonal, and northbound and southbound Turner Diagonal to westbound I-70 are closed and will not reopen until Sept. 8.
The $30 million project will reconfigure the interchange at I-70 into a diverging diamond interchange, a design pioneered in France.
The design routes both directions of traffic to opposite sides of the road just before the interchange. The crossover permits drivers to turn left without stopping at another light or turning in front of traffic. Through traffic is routed back to its normal lanes after the interchange.
The Missouri Department of Transportation built the first one in the nation in Springfield in 2009. The first one in the Kansas City area opened in May 2012 at I-435 and Front Street.
