I-70 is getting an upgrade. Here’s when KC drivers can expect closures
Kansas City area drivers will have to navigate construction on I-70 for the next three years. But at the end, the interstate should be safer and less congested, according to the Missouri Department of Transportation.
In March, construction began on the stretch of I-70 from Paseo to 31st Street. Each day, up to 120,000 drivers use the interstate to pass through Kansas City’s East Side.
Commuters, truckers and other drivers will see traffic cones, lane reductions and a 10-month closure of the 5-mile stretch in 2027.
The Kansas City area has other highway plans in early planning stages: adding a lane to I-70 to the east of Blue Springs and considering changes to 71 Highway on the East Side, and I-35 and I-670 on the West Side.
James Pflum, MoDOT employee and deputy project director, says the disruptions will be worthwhile.
“In 2028, when we get through the construction phase, we really do think that there’s going to be big improvements, not just for commuters, but also for the local community and for the pedestrians of the area,” Pflum said.
What is the I-70 construction plan?
The goal of the $237 million project is to improve the approximately 60-year-old stretch of highway. By the end of 2028, crews will replace 15 pedestrian and vehicle bridges, rehabilitate seven more, add a fourth lane to eastbound I-70, and straighten out the two tight turns at Benton Boulevard and Jackson Avenue.
Pflum said that adding pedestrian bridges will help people cross the highway safely. Reducing stop and go traffic should also reduce the number of crashes.
Here is the timeline, from MoDOT:
2025 — Work on 23rd Street and 25th Street pedestrian bridges.
2026 — Work on 27th Street, Cleveland Avenue and Lister Avenue bridges. Three lanes of I-70 will be open each direction during FIFA World Cup.
2027 – 10-month closure of I-70 from Prospect Avenue to Van Brunt Boulevard for mainline bridge and roadway work.
What should drivers know?
Pflum said that the department wants to “make sure that the drivers understand what their drive is going to look like before they leave the door.”
Commuters can sign up for email updates on the project on the MoDOT website and look for updates from The Star and other news outlets.
The weekend of April 11, Truman Road will be closed as crews remove an unused bridge over the street. The I-70 eastbound exit to 31st Street permanently closed in late March.
Why is the construction needed on I-70?
Pflum said since the highway was constructed in the 1960s, repairs on the road don’t last as long because of its age.
“We were getting to a point where it was becoming clear that the pavement was just at the point where it needed replacement,” Pflum said.
The agency has been studying the interstate for decades, but the replacement process started more than three years ago, with an environmental study on the area. While MoDOT created the goals and budget, Kansas City-based Clarkson Construction and Pleasant Hill-based Radmacher Brothers Excavating received the contract to design and build the interstate.
The money for the project comes from state and federal tax dollars through the Statewide Transportation Improvement Plan, MoDOT’s funds planned for projects for the next five years. Other I-70 upgrades are happening throughout the state, including east of Blue Springs, but the funds for those projects were earmarked by lawmakers.
Have more questions about roads and transportation in the Kansas City area? Ask the Service Journalism team at kcq@kcstar.com.
