KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City drivers can expect some delays next week as state road crews work to replace the Blue Ridge Boulevard bridge over Interstate 70.
Starting at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, May 31, crews from the Missouri Department of Transportation will shut down the Blue Ridge Boulevard bridge over I-70 to prepare for demolition.
Traffic along southbound Blue Ridge Boulevard will be rerouted to eastbound U.S. 40 to Noland Road. Northbound traffic will be detoured to westbound 43rd Street to Sterling Avenue. Traffic on Blue Ridge Boulevard will remain closed until approximately mid-November.
“It was built in the 1960s as part of the original construction of I-70 and it just reached the end of its service life,” Jill Bruss, a MoDOT area engineer said.
Weekend road closures
Crews will begin tearing down the bridge at 2 a.m. on Saturday, June 3. MoDOT will also close the following ramps:
- Southbound I-435 to eastbound I-70/Blue Ridge Cutoff
- Northbound I-435 to eastbound I-70/Blue Ridge Cutoff
- Blue Ridge Cutoff to eastbound I-70
- Eastbound I-70 to Blue Ridge Cutoff
- Southbound I-470 to westbound I-70
- Northbound I-470 to westbound I-70
- Lee’s Summit Road to westbound I-70
- Noland Road to westbound I-70
Starting at 3 a.m. Saturday, crews will reduce both eastbound and westbound traffic on I-70 to one lane. Then at 4 a.m., crews will completely close eastbound I-70 between I-435 and Blue Ridge Boulevard and westbound I-70 between I-470 and Blue Ridge Boulevard.
Bridge demolition will require a full closure of I-70 in both directions until approximately 5 a.m. on Monday, June 5.
“The bridge is old, it’s crumbling so I want it done. But the inconvenience of me, I don’t like it,” Stephanie Moore said.
Road crews will close eastbound I-70 between I-435 and Blue Ridge Boulevard. MoDOT will provide a signed detour for eastbound traffic from southbound I-435 to eastbound I-470.
Westbound I-70 will close between I-470 and Blue Ridge Boulevard. Crews will provide a signed detour for westbound traffic from southbound I-470 to northbound I-435.
MoDOT says it looked for other weekends to demolish the bridge but every weekend the Royals aren’t home, big concerts or festivals are planned at Arrowhead like Luke Combs and Taylor Swift. Changes were made for the Big Slick Celebrity Softball game at Kauffman Stadium Friday June 2.
“We had planned to close around 9 or 10pm but the Royals event that they are having the asked us to push back to allow for the traffic for that that would be higher to move out,” Bruss said.
The Royals plan to send communication to staff and fans on alternate routes next week.
“Really anybody traveling in the area should check those sites ahead of time know where you are going around the closure,” Bruss said.
Getting to the Royals games
Baseball fans heading to Kauffman Stadium next weekend to watch the Royals take on the Colorado Rockies should follow alternate routes along I-470 and I-435. Fans traveling eastbound on I-70 can exit at Manchester Trafficway to access the stadium via Stadium Drive.
MoDOT crews say three lanes of traffic along eastbound I-70 will remain open during construction. Drivers should expect intermittent lane closures along eastbound I-70 through the end of 2023.
