Closed Grand Boulevard bridge over I-670 will be demolished

The closed Grand Boulevard bridge over Interstate 670 in Kansas City must be demolished, state transportation officials said Friday.

The bridge near the Sprint Center will be demolished in early August and a new bridge is expected to open by Dec. 1, the Missouri Department of Transportation said.

Transportation officials closed the bridge May 6 after inspectors found stress fractures, according to the department.

“Based on the bridge’s design, it cannot be rehabilitated and will require full replacement,” the department said in a written statement.

The six-lane bridge, built in 1963, carries about 9,300 vehicles daily.

It was last inspected in September, officials said. Last week, inspectors ordered the span closed after chunks of concrete broke loose and inspectors determined the extent of the damage.

Crews have stabilized the structure to prevent further damage.

An area engineering firm has been hired to design a new bridge.

The transportation department said an exact cost of replacement is not yet known but estimated it would be in the range of $4 million to $5 million.

Drivers heading south on Grand are being told to take 12th Street to Oak Street to 18th Street. For those headed north on Grand, the route goes from 18th to Oak to 13th Street.

This story was originally published May 13, 2016 at 11:46 AM with the headline "Closed Grand Boulevard bridge over I-670 will be demolished."