I-70 closure brings nearly 50-mile detour for Topeka drivers

TOPEKA (KSNT) – Kansas transportation officials are due to close part of I-70 in Topeka this week as part of a larger project on I-470.

The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) announced in a press release on Wednesday, Aug. 21 that workers will close part of westbound I-70 in Topeka for the placement of steel girders on the I-470 bridge. The closure will begin at 9 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 22 for westbound I-70 under the bridge with the work expected to end around 5 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 23.

Drivers on westbound I-70 will be routed to northbound U.S. 75, then to westbound U.S. 24, over to southbound K-99 in Wamego and back to westbound I-70. This amounts to almost an hour of extra drive time and a 46-mile detour route. KDOT encourages motorists to follow the detour route or use other routes that are not marked.

Kansas ranks as one of the least fun states: WalletHub study

Traffic on eastbound I-70 and on and off-ramps in the area will not be impacted by this project. Drivers should plan ahead and expect delays when traveling through this area on westbound I-70 during the project’s time frame.

For more local news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here.

Follow Matthew Self on X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/MatthewLeoSelf

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News.