Flyover ramp to Buck O’Neil Bridge opening in Kansas City. What it means for drivers
Update: The Missouri Department of Transportation on Tuesday afternoon pushed the opening of the flyover ramp to before 6 p.m. This story has been updated.
The new flyover ramp that takes northbound traffic from Interstate 35 to U.S. 169 over the Buck O’Neil Bridge in downtown Kansas City’s northwest corner will open by the end of Tuesday evening rush hour, transportation officials.
The ramp, which is expected to open before 6 p.m., will give drivers a direct connection over the new Buck O’Neil Bridge to the Northland, the Missouri Department of Transportation’s Kansas City District said in a news release.
Previously, traffic had to take the Broadway exit onto Sixth Street to head north on U.S. 169 over the bridge and past the Wheeler Downtown Airport.
Between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Tuesday, crews will close the right shoulder of northbound I-35 past 12th Street to Sixth Street and the ramp from northbound I-35 to Sixth Street.
Last week, the southbound lanes of U.S. 169 on the new bridge and the flyover ramp to southbound I-35 opened, marking one of the last major milestones in the $220 million project to the former iconic triple arch steel-truss bridge.
The old bridge was nearing the end of its projected service life and needed to be replaced. It was a critical regional connection between downtown Kansas City and the Northland. Nearly 50,000 vehicles used the old bridge a day before it closed to traffic.
The new Buck O’Neil Bridge, anticipated to last for 100 years and will be less costly to maintain, provides direct connections from I-35 to U.S. 169, dedicated lanes to downtown and a new bike and pedestrian lane that will open next month.
Officials said the project will also provide improved access to the Downtown Airport and a scenic overlook with benches. It will also feature murals that will be completed by next summer.
This story was originally published November 26, 2024 at 8:15 AM.
