Kansas Department of Transportation
KANSAS CITY, KAN. ---- On Monday, March 16, a pavement replacement project will begin on a two-mile stretch of northbound and southbound I-35 from just north of 151st Street to just north of Santa Fe Street/135th Street in Olathe (Johnson County).
Project work includes replacement of the existing concrete pavement and sub-base in-kind with the same number of lanes and pavement and shoulder width that exists today.
Work will take place during daylight hours (sunrise to sunset), Monday through Friday, with some occasional Saturday work.
Construction work will be completed in two phases. Each phase will take approximately four months to complete, weather permitting.
During the weeks of March 16-30, crews will begin project work by setting traffic control followed by construction of median crossovers located at either end of the project. Traffic impacts include lane reductions on I-35 and the closure of the Santa Fe Street/135th Street to southbound I-35 entrance ramp throughout the project duration.
Ramp closures and lane reductions are tentatively scheduled to begin sometime around Monday, March 30, weather permitting. Advance separate notification will be sent out for Phase Two construction providing estimated dates and detailed traffic information.
Phase One construction information is detailed here.
Phase One. All I-35 traffic will be carried on the existing northbound lanes separated by concrete barrier while the southbound lanes are reconstructed.
During this phase, the southbound I-35 to Old U.S. 56 exit ramp will be closed. Southbound I-35 to Old U.S. 56 ramp traffic will detour via the U.S. 169/K-7 exit then north on K-7 to Old U.S. 56. Approximate timeframe for completion work on this phase: April-July 2015, weather permitting.
Phase Two. All I-35 traffic will be carried on the newly completed southbound lanes separated by concrete barrier while the northbound lanes are reconstructed.
During this phase, the Old U.S. 56 to northbound I-35 entrance ramp and the northbound I-35 to Santa Fe Street/135th Street exit ramp will be closed. Approximate timeframe for completion work on this phase: August-December 2015, weather permitting.
Santa Fe Street/135th Street to southbound I-35 ramp traffic will detour via Mur-Len Road south to 151st Street west to I-35 or via Ridgeview Road north to 119th Street east to I-35. See detour map for Phase One closures below.
There will be a 55 mph posted speed limit through the work zone throughout the project duration. Drivers should expect delays, must use alternate routes and should allow extra time for their daily commutes. Updated daily traffic information for this project and for the entire Kansas City Metro Area can be viewed at: www.ksdot.org/kcmetro/laneclose.asp.
The ramp closures are being utilized to allow the project to be completed in one construction season as opposed to two, thus reducing the overall traffic impacts to the traveling public. The project plans provide a safe and efficient work zone for travelers by limiting on and off access within the work zone. This also provides the contractor an efficient and safe workspace to complete the aggressive amount or project work in a timely and cost-effective manner.
The Kansas Department of Transportation urges all motorists to be alert, obey the warning signs, and “Give ‘Em a Brake!” when approaching and driving through the project work zone.
Ideker, Inc. (St. Joseph, MO) is the primary contractor on this reconstruction project with a total contract cost of $15.7 million. Project work is scheduled to be completed in early December 2015, weather permitting.
This project is funded by T-WORKS, the transportation program passed by the Kansas Legislature in May 2010. Find out more about these and other T-WORKS projects at: http://kdotapp.ksdot.org/TWorks/.
