Had enough of road construction? You ain’t seen nothin’ yet.
Starting Tuesday, all the eastbound traffic on U.S. Highway 50 intending to take the Kansas Turnpike or Interstate Highway 35 will instead route onto Industrial Road. The traffic will use Industrial to rejoin I-35 — but will have to pass through the 18th Avenue construction zone to do it.
“(This) is going to narrow it down to one lane of traffic through there,” said Tony Menke of the Kansas Department of Transportation.
KDOT had hoped to avoid this mess, Menke said. But the improvements to the turnpike are running about a month and a half behind schedule because of the frequent rains this year. The 18th Avenue and Industrial Road project, meanwhile, started right on time on June 14.
Result: congestion.
So what the heck is happening on Industrial? KDOT is realigning the northbound I-35 exit ramp so that it ties into the 18th Avenue traffic light. The idea is to make it easier to turn left onto Industrial.
“I’ve seen some trucks sit there for 15 or 20 minutes before conducting a left turn,” Menke said. “The timing of the traffic was just wrong.”
The 18th and Industrial work is scheduled to be done Nov. 2.
Meanwhile, there are two pieces of sort-of-good news. First, the detour should only last three weeks. Second, the closing of the Graphic Arts bridge over the turnpike might also be delayed because of the slowed-down construction.
The bridge was scheduled to be down for nine months starting July 9, so that it could be widened to four lanes and lengthened. But now that might move to mid or late July, Menke said.
“That one’s still up in the air,” he said. “Everyone should be ready for it just in case.”
blulitespecial (anonymous) says...
"You ain't seen nothin'yet" I can only laugh,agree,and avoid coming to Emporia.I'm afraid it takes people getting killed and normal traffic backed up for blocks to get a 25 year old plan implemented.Looks like the best way will be to come in to town on the North or East side.That way I'll avoid the High School Skidpad G-force test track roundyround,too.I think the article hits it about right-You ain't never seen a mess like the one we're 'bout to git! Well....since the last time you were in KC,anyway.
June 25, 2007 at 4:45 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )