Bridge connecting KCK & KC has been closed for 5 years. There's finally a plan
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- State and local agencies announce $135 million plan to replace three Central Avenue bridge
- Central Avenue Kansas River bridge closed since 2021 will be rebuilt
- Construction bids unlikely before late 2028
A plan is finally in place to replace the Central Avenue Bridge that spans the Kansas River, restoring the connection between Kansas City, Kansas, and West Bottoms.
But construction is still years away.
The bridge, which has been closed since February 2021, is set to be replaced as part of a $135 million project. Two state-owned bridges on Central Avenue over Interstate 70 and the Union Pacific Railroad that are “approaching the end of their service life” will also be replaced, the Kansas Department of Transportation announced on Thursday.
Construction bids likely won’t be solicited until at least late 2028, the release said.
“Today’s announcement reflects the power of collaboration, looking at the bigger picture and listening to communities,” Gov. Laura Kelly said in a press release. “Through effective problem solving, we’re able to address more needs with the same level of investment.”
The Unified Government has struggled for years to find the money to replace the locally owned Central Avenue Bridge, which connects Kansas City to KCK’s bustling Central Avenue Corridor. Business owners have complained that the bridge closure causes them to lose out on customers who would otherwise have easy access to their establishments.
According to the KDOT release, the joint $135 million project came together after the state and local government had both started studies exploring options for replacing their respective Central Avenue bridges.
“During public outreach efforts, KDOT heard clearly about the importance of access to the industrial area on the west side of the Kansas River as well as connections to the West Bottoms on the east side of the river,” the release said.
KDOT spokesperson Delaney Tholen said in an email that in KDOT’s initial design, the new bridges over the interstate and railroad were going to be built on an offset alignment, slightly to the north of the current bridges. That configuration would have been more expensive, but it was considered necessary to provide access to properties on the west side of the Kansas River, she said.
KDOT engineers realized that replacing the UG’s crumbling bridge over river would also ensure access while offsetting the increased costs associated with the offset alignment, Tholen said.
She said the cost-sharing agreement between KDOT and the UG has not been established yet. The entities are pursuing federal grants to help fund the project.
Connecting Kansas City
The Central Avenue Bridge over the Kansas River was originally built in 1918 and later rebuilt in 1984.
KCK Mayor and CEO Christal Watson said in the release that the bridge “has a long history of supporting economic growth and freight movement in Kansas City.”
“I, along with Unified Government Commissioners and staff, are thrilled that we’re going to restore connectivity with the construction of a new bridge,” Watson said.
Rep. Pam Curtis, a KCK Democrat who has long sought deeper public investment in Wyandotte County’s aging infrastructure, cheered the bridge announcement in a separate release.
“This major investment from KDOT will help our downtown communities by restoring a critical regional access point from the West Bottoms and the James Street Central Industrial Area, and enhance the economic opportunity for growth by providing the much-needed access to the small businesses along Central Avenue, Strawberry Hill, and our downtown area,” Curtis said.
Persistent bridge closures and construction detours have long frustrated Wyandotte County residents and visitors.
“We’re slowly dying on the vine,” Mike Pearce, co-owner of KCK’s award-winning Slap’s BBQ, told The Star last May.
Tholen, the KDOT spokespersdon, said the agency is actively working on five bridge construction projects in Wyandotte County.
The 18th Street bridge over the Kansas River is completely closed to traffic during construction, as is a bridge south of Sunshine Road on K-5 over the Union Pacific Railroad, and the K-32/Turner Diagonal Freeway bridges over Kaw Drive, Tholen said.
She said KDOT doesn’t believe ongoing construction will have a major impact on commuters navigating across the Kansas City metro for this summer’s World Cup matches.
“During the events, the 18th Street Bridge replacement project will still be ongoing, and a bridge deck replacement on K-5 near the Fairfax Industrial District may still be active,” Tholen said. “We do not anticipate this work to pose significant traffic flow problems.”
This story was originally published January 22, 2026 at 4:28 PM.
