KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Missouri Department of Transportation will begin demolishing the Blue Ridge Boulevard bridge over Interstate 70 at 2 a.m. on June 3, requiring the total closure of portions of I-70 until 5 a.m. on June 5.
The bridge will be closed starting at 9 a.m. on May 31 to prepare for the demolition.
Southbound Blue Ridge Boulevard traffic will be diverted to eastbound U.S. 40 Highway to Noland Road. Northbound Blue Ridge Boulevard will be diverted to westbound 43rd Street to Sterling Avenue.
Those detours will stay in effect until approximately mid-November 2023.
At the start of the bridge’s demolition, MoDOT maintenance crews will close one lane of eastbound and westbound I-70.
They will also close all of the following ramps:
- The ramp from southbound I-435 to eastbound I-70/Blue Ridge Cutoff;
- The ramp from northbound I-435 to eastbound I-70/Blue Ridge Cutoff;
- The ramp from Blue Ridge Cutoff to eastbound I-70;
- The ramp from eastbound I-70 to Blue Ridge Cutoff;
- The ramp from southbound I-470 to westbound I-70;
- The ramp from northbound I-470 to westbound I-70;
- The ramp from Lee’s Summit Rd. to westbound I-70;
- The ramp from Noland Rd. to westbound I-70.
On June 3, crews will reduce eastbound and westbound I-70 to one lane beginning at 3 a.m., then close all lanes of eastbound I-70 between I-435 and Blue Ridge Boulevard and westbound I-70 between I-470 and Blue Ridge Boulevard an hour later.
All eastbound I-70 traffic will be diverted to I-435 and all westbound I-70 traffic will be diverted to southbound Missouri 291/I-470 as a result of the closure.
Local eastbound traffic will be able to access I-70 from Noland Road and local westbound traffic will be able to able to access I-70 from US 40.
Fans planning to head to Kauffman Stadium for the Kansas City Royals’ games against the Colorado Rockies on June 3 and 4 are recommended to seek alternate routes, such as I-470 and I-435, if necessary.
If you're coming eastbound along I-70, you can exit at Manchester Trafficway and access the stadium via Stadium Drive.
The Blue Ridge Boulevard bridge is included in Governor Mike Parson’s $351 million Focus on Bridges Program, which will repair or replace 250 bridges across the state.
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