The Kansas Department of Transportation says that there will be lane closures on eastbound and westbound I-70 from K-7 to 134th Street beginning at 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 19.
The lanes will be reduced to one open lane in each direction for bridge deck removal, the spokesman said.
The lanes will reopen to all traffic at noon Saturday, Dec. 20, weather permitting, in Bonner Springs.
Second, there will be lane closures beginning Saturday night and continuing through noon Sunday. This lane closure will be on eastbound and westbound I-70 from K-7 to 134th Street, and will be reduced to one open lane in each direction for bridge girder removal work. The lanes will close at 9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 20, and will reopen to traffic at noon Sunday, Dec. 21, weather permitting.
Third, there will be one open lane on westbound I-70 at K-7 for pavement marking work between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 20.
A new ramp is set to open during the day on Saturday, Dec. 20, weather permitting, from westbound I-70 to southbound K-7 loop ramp (see illustration). It will open to unrestricted traffic in Bonner Springs.
Crews must complete pavement marking work before the ramp can be fully reopened to all traffic. If pavement marking work is not completed in time due to wet weather, the ramp will then reopen either on Sunday or Monday, Dec. 21-22, weather permitting.
Once the new westbound I-70 to southbound K-7 loop ramp (see ramp C in above photo) is opened to all traffic, within one to two days (Sunday-Tuesday, Dec. 21-23), weather permitting, the left turn lanes from the existing westbound I-70 to southbound K-7 ramp will be removed. Westbound I-70 traffic will no longer use this existing ramp to exit onto southbound K-7. The only movements available from the existing westbound I-70 to southbound K-7 ramp will be either right turns onto northbound K-7 or the through lane movement onto Canaan Drive.
Once the left turn lanes on the existing ramp are removed, westbound I-70 traffic wanting to access southbound K-7 must use the new westbound I-70 to southbound K-7 loop ramp C shown in the map above.
Drivers will be directed through the project work zone via message boards, signage and cones, according to the KDOT spokesman. Drivers should expect delays and should allow extra time for their weekend commutes. The Kansas Department of Transportation urges all motorists to be alert, obey the warning signs, and slow down when approaching and driving through the project work zone.
This ramp work is part of the K-7 and I-70 Interchange Project Phase 1 construction. Updated daily traffic information for this project and for the entire Kansas City metro area can be viewed online any time at www.ksdot.org/kcmetro/laneclose.asp.
Clarkson Construction is the project contractor on this $18 million construction Phase 1 project. This portion of the project work is scheduled to be completed in late fall 2014.
(Information from KDOT)