Demolition means more closures this week at I-35 and I-435 in Johnson County

Demolition of flyover bridges at the Johnson County Gateway interchange is causing more lane closures on Interstates 35 and 435 this week, the Kansas Department of Transportation announced.

All lanes of southbound I-35 from 87th Street to Interstate 435 will be closed overnight — from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. — on Tuesday and Wednesday nights, weather permitting. The detour will be U.S. 69 to westbound I-435 to southbound I-35.

The left two lanes of northbound I-35 at I-435 will be closed during the same hours on Tuesday and Wednesday nights.

All lanes of eastbound I-435 at I-35 will be closed during the same hours on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. The detour will be northbound I-35 to eastbound 87th Street to southbound U.S. 69 to eastbound I-435.

The massive bridge girders of the flyover ramps must be cut by torches or oxylance, a long section of pipe with oxygen pumped through it. The bridge girder sections are then lifted by crane off bridge piers onto another flat surface for even more cutting before being placed on a semi to be sent to a steel recycler.

Updated traffic information can be found at the Kansas Department of Transportation’s site for the project.

Phase two of the project is scheduled to be completed in December.

This story was originally published May 24, 2016 at 2:04 PM with the headline "Demolition means more closures this week at I-35 and I-435 in Johnson County."