Work to replace bridge over I-70 in Independence begins next week; ramps to close
Construction of a replacement for the Blue Ridge Boulevard Bridge over Interstate 70 in Independence gets underway next week, and will require two ramps to the highway to be closed for the summer, the Missouri Department of Transportation announced.
Beginning about 6 a.m. Monday, crews will close the ramp from U.S. 40 highway to eastbound I-70 and the ramp from Blue Ridge Boulevard to eastbound I-70. The two ramps will remain closed until about mid-November, Lairyn McGregor, a spokeswoman for the MoDOT’s Kansas City District said in a news release.
Also on Monday, crews will close two lanes of eastbound I-70 in the area at 8 p.m. for work relating to shifting traffic for the project. The closure will reduce eastbound I-70 to one lane overnight, she said.
The bridge project, expected to cost between $5 million and $6 million, will replace the aging bridge over the interstate as well as make interchange improvements to the bridge’s ramps and approaches. Construction of the new bridge is expected to be completed before the end of the year.
During construction, Blue Ridge Boulevard will be closed at I-70. Except for intermittent lane closures, traffic along I-70 will face only minor impacts from the construction. MoDOT officials will keep three lanes of traffic along eastbound I-70 throughout construction.
The project will require a weekend closure of a portion of I-70 for the demolition of the bridge. The date of that closure will be announced in the future.
The project is part of Missouri Gov. Mike Parson’s Focus on Bridges program, which will repair or replace 250 bridges across the state.
