‘Baseball size’ debris plummets onto I-35 in Johnson County. Bridge work is halted
Construction on the 119th Street bridge in Olathe has been put on pause after drivers reported that debris was falling onto Interstate 35 as vehicles passed by.
Dozens of people took to social media on Wednesday to say they had witnessed concrete or other debris falling onto the highway. Many said they were scared as they passed under the bridge, which closed on June 1 for demolition.
“My car took shrapnel on the roof driving south around 1:00,” one person commented on Facebook.
“Very scary seeing baseball size pieces of concrete falling to the road below while cars are going through!!” another wrote.
City spokesman Cody Kennedy told The Star in an email that officials “were made aware of four reports regarding minor damage to vehicles traveling on I-35. The largest reported debris was one half inch.”
“Based on bridge inspection reports before construction, there was no anticipation of debris. The unforeseen circumstances are being addressed,” he said.
Wednesday afternoon, city officials released a statement saying that construction was stopped.
“The safety of all travelers is our first priority,” officials said. “Upon hearing of debris coming from the underside of the 119th Street bridge, construction on the bridge was immediately paused. All work over I-35 will not resume until additional measures such as falsework and additional protection under the working areas are installed to protect the traveling public.”
The bridge closed for 90 days as of Tuesday, June 1.
It’s the latest phase of a $25 million project at the interchange in northeast Olathe, where the traffic volume is among the highest in the state. Work includes reconfiguring the intersection — to lessen the high accident rates on the bridge — and widening 119th Street to alleviate congestion.
The Kansas Department of Transportation, which has jurisdiction over the interstate, deferred questions to the city. An official with Miles Excavating of Basehor, the contractor for the interchange reconstruction project, was not immediately available Wednesday.
Demolition of the bridge began last Friday, according to a previous news release from KDOT.
During construction, I-35 will have daily lane closures. Only right turns onto 119th Street from the I-35 exit ramp, as well as right turns onto I-35 from 119th Street, will be allowed.
Some residents commented on social media that they continued to see debris falling after construction halted Wednesday.
While the bridge is closed, traffic on 119th Street will follow a detour. Vehicles traveling west will be detoured to Strang Line Road, to Mur-Len Road, west on 127th Street to Ridgeview Road and then back up to 119th.
Traffic traveling eastbound on 119th Street will be detoured north on Renner Boulevard, to eastbound K-10, to eastbound I-435, then south on Quivira Road to 119th Street.
Overall, city leaders expect the interchange reconstruction to reduce the crash rate in the area and cut down on commuter times. The crash rate is 11 times the national average for comparable interchanges, according to a traffic analysis.
The project includes reconfiguring the intersection as a diverging-diamond interchange. In general, the design routes traffic to opposite sides of the road. The crossover permits drivers to turn left without stopping at another light or turning in front of traffic.
Officials expect the project to be completed in September, according to KDOT officials.
This story was originally published June 9, 2021 at 4:38 PM.
