Major bridge replacement project begins on I-235

Drivers on I-235 north of Zoo Boulevard and south of K-96 on Monday began dealing with one lane of traffic in each direction as a major Kansas Department of Transportation bridge project got underway.

The $19.9 million project will rebuild five bridges on I-235 over two construction seasons, KDOT spokesman Tom Hein said in a statement.

Two bridges on I-235 will be replaced this year: the southbound bridge over the Wichita-Valley Center Floodway and the southbound bridge over the Arkansas River near 21st Street. A winter shutdown is scheduled for Nov. 18, Hein said, when all lanes will again be open for both directions of I-235.

Single-lane traffic for each direction of I-235 will again be necessary in March 2017 for the reconstruction of the northbound bridges over the floodway and the Arkansas River. The 25th Street bridge over I-235 will also be replaced, Hein said.

Contractors on Monday began constructing crossovers in the highway median that will move southbound traffic to the east side of the four-lane divided interstate, he said. The speed limit has been reduced to 50 mph.

Congestion is likely during daily commute times, Hein said, meaning drivers may want to choose alternate routes. On average, more than 40,000 vehicles use this stretch of I-235 each day.

Smart Work Zone technologies will be used to advise drivers of travel times through the construction zone. Closed-circuit cameras will be used in the work zone to monitor incidents and congestion.

Completion of all work is planned for mid-December 2017, Hein said.

This story was originally published March 21, 2016 at 7:50 AM with the headline "Major bridge replacement project begins on I-235."