Miles of I-70 to close in Kansas City area for bridge demolition. Here’s when and detour
Miles of Interstate 70 in the Kansas City area will be shut down this weekend so that crews can demolish a bridge over the heavily traveled highway, the Missouri Department of Transportation announced.
During the demolition, eastbound I-70 will be closed between Interstate 435 and Noland Road. Traffic will be detoured along southbound I-435 to eastbound Interstate 470.
Westbound I-70 will be closed between I-470/Missouri 291 and Blue Ridge Boulevard. Traffic will be detoured along southbound Missouri 291/westbound I-470 to northbound I-435.
The closure is part of a $5 million to $6 million project to replace the Blue Ridge Boulevard bridge over I-70 in Independence, as well as make interchange improvements to the ramps and approaches in the area, said Lairyn McGregor, a spokeswoman for MoDOT’s Kansas City District, in a news release.
Beginning at 9 a.m. Wednesday, crews will close the bridge over I-70 to prepare for its demolition over the weekend.
Here’s the timing of this weekend’s closures:
- At 2 a.m. Saturday, crews will close one lane of eastbound and westbound I-70.
- Also at that time, crews will close the following ramps: northbound and southbound I-435 to eastbound I-70/Blue Ridge Cutoff; Blue Ridge Cutoff to eastbound I-70; eastbound I-70 to Blue Ridge Cutoff; southbound and northbound I-470/Missouri 291 to westbound I-70; Lee’s Summit Road to westbound I-70 and Noland Road to westbound I-70.
- At 3 a.m. Saturday, eastbound and westbound I-70 will be reduced to one lane.
- At 4 a.m., crews will completely close eastbound I-70 between I-435 and Noland Road and westbound I-70 between I-470/Missouri 291 and Blue Ridge Boulevard.
Fans headed to see the Kansas City Royals play against the Colorado Rockies at Kauffman Stadium over the weekend will need to seek alternative routes, like I-470 and I-435. Fans headed to the stadium on eastbound I-70 can exit at Manchester Trafficway and access the stadium via Stadium Drive.
During the closure, drivers are encouraged to plan ahead, leave early and allow extra time.
The demolition is expected to be completed and I-70 reopened no later than 5 a.m. on Monday. Except for intermittent lane closures, there will be three lanes of traffic on eastbound I-70 throughout construction of the new bridge.
The new bridge is expected to be completed by the end of this year.
This story was originally published May 30, 2023 at 8:38 AM.
