When will Topeka’s biggest highway road work projects end?
TOPEKA (KSNT) – A Kansas transportation official is weighing in on when locals can expect some Topeka highway projects to come to an end.
KSNT 27 News reached out to Kate Craft with the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) for updates on some of Topeka’s largest ongoing road construction projects causing headaches for local drivers. Some of these projects started earlier in the year and are still going strong towards the end of summer 2024, seemingly with no end in sight.
Craft said some projects are scheduled to end soon but dates could change depending on weather conditions which might impact when workers can be on site. Check the list below for more information on a few of the Capital City’s biggest highway projects.
U.S. 75 bridges
Work on these bridges over the Kansas River got started in April while the southbound Westgate bridge and flyover bridge to I-70 began in May. Work on the bridges over Lower Silver Lake Road is slated to wrap up by the week of Sept. 1 while work on the remaining U.S. 75 bridges are due to continue into the fall.
Tours of historic Topeka mansion open with 150th anniversary celebration
Craft said work on the U.S. 75 bridges over the river should be completed by December. Drivers should expect adjustments to the project like shifting lane reductions as work zones move around.
U.S. 24
Work crews first started this project, running from Muddy Creek to Kansas Avenue, in July 2023. The entire project is slated to end in 2027.
“The current traffic configuration between Kansas Avenue and Goldwater Road will remain in place until the end of the year while the roadway and intersections are reconstructed,” Craft said. “Project work will resume next spring on U.S. 24 east of Goldwater Road.”
40,000 mail-in ballots used in 2024 Kansas Primary election
I-470 flyover bridge
KDOT crews closed the northbound I-470 bridge for demolition and reconstruction work to westbound I-70 traffic in February 2024. The project is scheduled to wrap up by December this year.
Polk-Quincy Viaduct project
This project began in 2021 and is set to continue through to the fall of 2027. Work crews are currently relocating utilities around the viaduct ahead of more extensive construction projects on I-70 in the near future.
The Polk-Quincy Viaduct project is meant to enhance safety with the addition of wider shoulders, flatten the curve near Third Street and extend acceleration and deceleration lanes in some areas. Work on the bridge, necessitating extended closures on the highway, won’t start until spring 2025. You can learn more about the project by visiting the website dedicated to it here.
Heavy traffic, delays expected on I-70 as K-State football game approaches
Craft recommends people who want to learn more about ongoing road work projects in Kansas call 511 or consult kandrive.gov.
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.
