Trying to get around downtown KC? Here’s some weekend road closures you need to know about
.jpg "Artist rendering of the final construction of the bridge to replace the aging Buck O’Neil Bridge near the northwest corner of downton Kansas City.")
Getting around downtown Kansas City this weekend might be a bit of a challenge due to highway and ramp closures on the north side of the downtown loop.
The closures, which are related to work on the replacement for the Buck O’Neil Bridge, are expected to have significant impacts to traffic, said Lairyn McGregor, a spokeswoman for the Missouri Department of Transportation’s Kansas City District.
Essentially, the Interstate 70 on the northside of the downtown loop will be closed, along with numerous ramps to the highway. Although there is no signed detour, traffic will be heavy on the south side of the loop as drivers will be rerouted onto Interstate 670.
The various lane and ramp closings begin at 10 p.m. Friday and continue over the weekend. They reopen by 5 a.m. Monday.
Here’s what drivers can expect:
- Eastbound Interstate 70 will close at southbound Interstate 35 on the northwest side of the downtown loop. Traffic will be rerouted to eastbound I-670.
- Westbound I-70 on will shut down at northbound I-35 on the northeast side of the loop. Drivers should use westbound I-670.
- Southbound I-35 will close at westbound I-70 on the northeast side of the loop. Drivers should use westbound I-670 via eastbound I-70.
- Northbound I-35 will close at eastbound I-670 on the southwest side of the loop. Traffic will be rerouted to eastbound I-670.
The work will also require the weekend closings of the following ramps:
- The ramp from Beardsley Road to westbound I-70.
- The ramp from Fifth Street to westbound I-70.
- The ramp from Fifth Street to southbound I-35.
- The ramp from Independence Avenue to westbound I-70.
- The ramp from Missouri 9 highway to westbound I-70.
- The ram from East Independence/Troost avenues to westbound I-70.
- The ramp from 12th Street to northbound I-35.
Earlier this week, crews closed the ramps from Beardsley Road and eastbound I-70 to Sixth Street for bridge work. They will remain closed until June.
The ramps from Fifth Street and westbound I-70 to southbound I-35 also were closed. They will remain closed until November.
The closings are part of the project to replace the aging Buck O’Neil Bridge on Kansas City’s northwest side of downtown. The bridge, which carries U.S. 69 highway over the Missouri River, is a key connection that ties the Northland to downtown Kansas City and communities further south.
