KSHB 41 reporter Charlie Keegan covers politics on both sides of the state line. If you have a story idea to share, you can send Charlie an email at charlie.keegan@kshb.com.
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The Kansas Department of Transportation closed the 18th Street Expressway bridge over the Kansas River this weekend. Crews will spend the next two years demolishing the bridge and building a replacement.
The bridge, which opened in 1959, carries traffic along U.S. 69 Highway, also referred to as 18th Street Expressway. The road is closed from Ruby Avenue on the south to K-32 on the north.
KDOT is asking drivers to detour the area by using Interstate 635 to cross the river.
“It’ll take me a little bit longer to get to my destination, but it’ll be worth it. I’d rather be safe than anything,” said Lee Wooden, who wanted to cross the bridge today.
Engineers inspect and then rate three sections of bridges on a scale of 0 to 9: substructure, superstructure, and deck. If any part receives a grade of four or less, officials consider the entire bridge to be in poor condition.
In 2023, KDOT Secretary Calvin Reed explained what poor condition means.
“They are still safe, but at a point in their life where it takes a lot to maintain them,” Reed said.
That year, KSHB 41 News and Scripps News Group examined bridges in Missouri and Kansas. The 18th Street Expressway bridge was one of hundreds of bridges that had been in poor condition for at least 10 years.
“I never really thought about it too much driving across it,” said Johnny Christian, who crosses the 18th Street Expressway bridge twice a day.
But other drivers admitted they do wonder about the condition of the bridges they cross.
“We think of that all the time,” said Gloria Abarca. “I don’t like stopping on the bridge itself. I don’t want to be on it if it falls.”
Kansas is spending $121.8 million on this project. $97.4 million comes from the federal government, including $62.6 in the form of a large bridge grant from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
The new bridge will open in 2027. KDOT is sharing updates on its website in English and Spanish. Additionally, printed fact sheets in Spanish are available at the South Branch Library, 3104 Strong Ave, Kansas City, KS 66106.
