Construction will slow traffic on part of I-135 starting Monday. Here’s what to expect

Starting Monday, nearly two miles of I-135 will go under construction until early November.

Work will start on the right lane of northbound I-135 from 2nd Street to 17th Street early on Monday, June 17, according to the Kansas Department of Transportation.

The right lane will be closed in increments as the patching project progresses to prevent unnecessary closures, J.B. Wilson, public information officer for KDOT, said.

There is no set schedule for when portions of the right lane will be complete and others will start.

Work will be done from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. During construction, open lane speeds will be reduced to 50 mph.

When the right lane’s construction is finished, the same stretch of northbound I-135’s left lane will close completely for maintenance. Wilson said there’s no exact date or time for work on the right lane to be completed and for work on the left lane to begin.

On weekends and nights, workers will do maintenance on northbound I-135’s middle lanes, which will also cause closures.

These night closures will be from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday through Thursday. Weekend closures will be from 7 p.m. on Friday to 5 a.m. on Monday.

The department recommends that drivers find alternate routes during the weekend to prevent congestion. Wilson advised motorists to be aware of construction workers as the work focuses on one of the city’s busiest areas.

“That safety factor is always a real big key that I try to nail home when a project like this is going on,” Wilson said.

This is a $1.7 million project, contracted primarily by Dondlinger Construction, a Wichita-based company.

More information on the closures and other closures can be found at www.kandrive.org/.