KANSAS CITY, Kan — Interstate 70 at the Turner Diagonal sits at the crossroads of the country in Kansas City, Kansas — about a two-day drive from 85% of the U.S. population.
More than 65,000 cars and trucks pass through the area each day.
According to the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, the current design of the Turner Diagonal interchange no longer meets the needs of the community and the surrounding area.
The Unified Government partnered with the Kansas Department of Transportation, the Kansas Turnpike Authority and North Point Development in order to come up with a plan to improve the interchange.
Some of the improvements include better access to businesses along the Turner Diagonal, safety improvements and a better flow for traffic.
The existing interchange will be reconfigured to a diverging diamond interchange, which organizers hope will create more space for economic development and job creation.
A groundbreaking ceremony was held Friday to kick off the start of the new project.
"I just want to send a thanks to all those who were involved in this project," KCK Mayor David Alvey said. "The partnership between the local, the federal and the state levels and the private investment coming in to make this project happen is truly remarkable."
The project will add a new shared-use-path and sidewalk from Riverview Avenue through the new diverging diamond interchange and connect to existing sidewalks at State Avenue.
The project also will address freight parking at the truck staging facilities west of the interchange.
Officials hope to have these improvements done by November 2020.
