Lanes of major downtown Kansas City highway to close on back-to-back weekends
Downtown Kansas City drivers should expect major delays when a key highway faces partial closures for bridge girder installation on back-to-back weekends.
The closures are part of a project to replace the Holmes Street bridge over Interstate 670 on the south side of the downtown loop, Katie Majors, a spokesperson with the Missouri Department of Transportation’s Kansas City District, said in a news release.
Crews will lift girders into place over the highway, requiring a partial closure of I-670. The work begins with the eastbound lanes between the U.S. 71/Bruce R. Watkins Drive and Interstate 35 this weekend. Westbound lanes of I-670 will be closed next weekend.
Here’s what to expect this weekend:
Beginning at 9 a.m. Friday, the ramp from McGee Street to eastbound I-670 will close. At 7 p.m. Friday, crews will close eastbound I-670 where it splits from Interstate 70 in Kansas.
These ramps will also close at 7 p.m.: Northbound and southbound I-35 ramps to eastbound I-670; Genessee Street ramp to eastbound I-670; Truman Road to eastbound I-670; Northbound and southbound U.S. 71/Bruce R. Watkins Drive to westbound I-670; and Central Avenue to eastbound I-670.
During this weekend’s closure, eastbound traffic on Interstate 70 will be detoured to the north side of the downtown loop to access I-35, U.S. 71/Bruce R. Watkins Drive, and I-70.
The highway and all the affected ramps will reopen by 6 a.m. Monday.
Here’s what to expect next week and next weekend:
On Feb. 11, weather permitting, crews will shut down the westbound I-670 ramp to Locust Street between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. in preparation for the upcoming girder installation work.
At 7 p.m. Feb. 13, crews will close westbound I-670 where it splits from I-70 on the east side of the downtown loop to the I-35/I-670 interchange. Crews will also close the ramps from northbound and southbound U.S. 71/Bruce R. Watkins Drive to westbound I-670.
The highway and all the affected ramps will reopen by 6 a.m. Feb. 16.
The Holmes Street bridge is being replaced because it is nearing the end of its service life. As part of the project, the bridge’s clearance will be increased to standard height. The construction is taking place on Holmes between Truman Road on the south and East 14th Street on the north.
The estimated $6.7 million project is expected to be completed by summer.
This story was originally published February 4, 2026 at 9:28 AM.
