Closing date set for southbound lanes of Buck O’Neil Bridge in KC. Here’s when
The southbound lanes of the Buck O’Neil Bridge, which carries U.S. 169 over the Missouri River at the northwest corner of Kansas City’s downtown, will close early next month, a spokeswoman for the Missouri Department of Transportation announced.
The total closure of the southbound lanes of the highway from the Wheeler Downtown Airport to Fifth Street will occur no later than the morning rush hour on Feb. 6, said Lairyn McGregor, a spokeswoman for MoDOT’s Kansas City District, in a news release.
The closing will have a significant impact on drivers who rely on the popular route to get from Kansas City’s northland to downtown and areas south of the Missouri River. Traffic will detour via Interstate 29/35 over the Bond Bridge on the northeast corner of downtown.
The more than 600 days closure is part of the construction of the new U.S. 169/Buck O’Neil Bridge just to the west of the existing bridge. Crews will tie the new southbound bridge into the new flyover ramps to Interstate 35.
Drivers can expect to see various lane closures beginning the night of Feb. 4 as crews work on traffic control. The transportation department plans to release further details soon.
The northbound lanes of the Buck O’Neil Bridge will remain open. Southbound U.S. 169 also will remain open south of Missouri 9 highway to allow access to the downtown airport from the north.
The triple-arch bridge, formerly known as the Broadway Bridge, is a key connection to communities north of the Missouri River. It opened in 1956 and while it is safe, it is nearing the end of its projected lifespan. About 50,000 vehicles use the bridge each day.
The $220 million replacement bridge is expected to be completed in December 2024.
