Interstate construction could swerve your game day commute for Chiefs’ season opener
Patient and considerate.
That’s what the Missouri Department of Transportation is asking drivers to be as they head home or to Arrowhead Stadium for the Kansas City Chiefs season opener Thursday evening.
Traffic is expected to be heavier than normal along stretches of Interstate 435 and Interstate 70 near the Truman Sports Complex as the game will coincide with the evening rush hour. Kickoff for game between the Chiefs and Houston Texans is at 7:20 p.m.
While construction continues on the nearby I-435/I-70 interchange, access to Arrowhead Stadium will return to normal later this NFL season. The project is expected to finish ahead of schedule if the weather permits, said Lairyn McGregor, a spokeswoman for MoDOT’s Kansas City District.
Work, however, will continue throughout September, which may impact fans during the first game of the season. To make it easier to get to the game and to cut down on congestion, transportation officials will open the ramps at Manchester Trafficway and I-70 both before and after the game.
The ramps are currently closed until the project is completed. Also currently closed are the westbound I-70 ramp to southbound I-435 and the eastbound I-70 ramp to northbound I-435.
Drivers traveling in the area along I-70 who are not headed to Arrowhead Stadium but need to exit at I-435 should use the following routes Thursday:
- Westbound I-70 drivers headed to southbound I-435 should continue through the interchange on I-70, exit at U.S. 40 highway/31st Street, loop back around to eastbound I-70 and then take the exit to southbound I-435.
- Eastbound I-70 drivers headed to northbound I-435 should exit at U.S. 40 highway/31st Street and continue east to access northbound I-435.
The two-year, $47 million highway construction project is a complete makeover of the heavily traveled interchange at I-70 and I-435 on Kansas City’s east side.
The new “partial turbine” design is the first of its kind in the Kansas City area. The design is aimed making it safer and less congested by replacing the less traditional left-hand exit ramps that were previously in place. Ramps on the new interchange started reopening in July.
The project, which included replacing bridges, removal of left-hand exits and improving loop ramps, began in Spring 2019. The majority of the construction is expected to be completed this fall, but various lane closures may occur in the area through December.
