I-235 to be closed between Central, Zoo for bypass bridge work

Let’s try this again.

A two-mile stretch of I-235 in west Wichita will be closed this weekend, starting at 7 p.m. Friday, so construction can continue on two flyover bridges.

The bypass between Central and Zoo Boulevard is expected to reopen Sunday night, said Tom Hein, spokesman for Kansas Department of Transportation.

Workers will be installing 12 steel bridge beams over I-235 and 13th Street. The closure was set for last weekend, but that had to be delayed because of high winds. Good weather is in this weekend’s forecast.

Traffic will be routed onto Central, Zoo Boulevard and West Street.

The $35 million project is constructing the bridges – one northbound, one southbound – to alleviate traffic congestion and is expected to be completed by late November, Hein said.

This story was originally published May 1, 2014 at 8:00 AM with the headline "I-235 to be closed between Central, Zoo for bypass bridge work."