Interstate 670 to close this weekend for removal of downtown Kansas City bridge
The south part of the downtown loop in Kansas City will be closed in both directions this weekend as crews remove a bridge that connects downtown to the Crossroads Arts District, the Missouri Department of Transportation announced.
Beginning at 6 a.m. Thursday, crews will close the Baltimore bridge over Interstate 670 so it can be replaced, said Lairyn McGregor, a spokeswoman for MoDOT’s Kansas City District.
At 8 p.m. Friday, crews will close I-670 in both directions so that the bridge can be demolished and removed over the weekend. The highway is expected to reopen no later than 5 a.m. Monday, McGregor said.
While I-670 is closed, drivers will be encouraged to use the northern part of the downtown loop.
Drivers can also expect to find the following ramps closed this weekend:
- The ramp from northbound Interstate 35 to eastbound I-670.
- The ramp from southbound I-35 to eastbound I-670.
- The Truman Road. ramp just past Broadway to eastbound I-670.
- The ramp from Wyoming Street to eastbound I-670.
- The ramp from eastbound Interstate 70 to westbound I-670.
- The ramp from northbound U.S. 71 to westbound I-670.
- The ramp from 10th Street to westbound I-670.
- The ramp from westbound I-70 to westbound I-670.
The Baltimore bridge is nearing the end of its service life and is need of being replaced, McGregor said.
Its replacement, which will cost about $3.2 million, will be the same height and width and the existing decorative fencing will be re-attached to the new bridge. The new bridge is expected to be completed in December.
During construction on the new bridge, traffic on Baltimore will be detoured to Main Street via 14th and 16th streets.
