I-235 closure delayed until May 2

The season is here:

Be prepared for the construction zones, detours, and road closures – and occasional changes in those plans.

One of the closures – I-235 between Central and Zoo Boulevard – has been delayed a week because of this weekend’s weather forecast.

Kansas Department of Transportation officials issued a news release Thursday postponing ramp work, which will now run from 7 p.m. May 2 until the evening of May 4 – if all goes well.

“We are putting 12 bridge beams over the lanes of traffic,” said Tom Hein, public affairs manager for KDOT in the Wichita area said earlier this month. “It is impossible to do that with 235 traffic flowing – both for the safety of drivers and workers.”

Workers will be putting down a thick cushion of soil on the actual interstate lanes, he said.

“The cranes are heavy and leave big tracks,” Hein said. “We don’t want to tear up the pavement during operation.”

During next weekend’s closure, traffic will be routed onto Central, Zoo Boulevard and West Street.

The complete construction work of the 13th Street and I-235 interchange is expected to be finished by November. There is single lane traffic for each director of 13th south of Sedgwick County Park and Zoo.

Other construction work

• K-254, Woodlawn to Sedgwick/Butler County Line – an asphalt overlay is being applied on the pavement. There will be single lane closures during the daylight hours.

• At K-96 from the Reno County line to Maize Road, road crews will be replacing permanent pavement markings. Expect single lane closures during the daylight hours.

• The Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) has installed six cameras and two message signs on East Kellogg, West Kellogg, and on I-135 south of Harry. The communication links to the camera are expected to be completed soon.

• Repairs to the U.S. 54/400 Bridge over the Arkansas River, west of downtown Wichita. Construction was suspended during the winter months but has resumed on the interior bridge support system.

• Wichita is working on a project on K-96 and Greenwich. The right lane of both bridges – the eastbound and westbound lanes of K-96 – will be closed until October.

This story was originally published April 24, 2014 at 9:41 AM with the headline "I-235 closure delayed until May 2."