KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Missouri is looking at possible changes to a busy stretch of I-70 in Kansas City.
The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) just completed a study of the corridor that stretches from Blue Ridge Boulevard to the downtown loop.
"The Study really gives us a template for future improvements along the corridor and some of those improvements have been built already," MoDOT Engineer Matt Killion said. "The Manchester Bridge was replaced, we added lanes and reconfigured the Manchester interchange and next year we will be improving the I-435/I-70 interchange."
MoDOT will be putting in a Partial Turbine Interchange to help with I-435 congestion and will create wider clover-leaf ramps to help tractor-trailers that find it hard to maneuver the tighter turn.
"Along the corridor we really focused on improving key bottle necks, so we looked at areas that had safety concerns, where we experienced congestion, and looked for improvements at those areas," Killion said.
One of the problems MoDOT found in the study was the amount of interchanges there are along that six-mile stretch of I-70.
"Along this corridor we have 14 interchanges in a six-mile stretch," said Killion. "That is not something we would normally do today."
He said usually there would be at least one mile in between interchanges.
"As part of this study we considered consolidating some access, changing how interchanges work together and possibly removing some access, but through the public involvement and outreach efforts we found that wasn't something that the community in the city would support," he said. "So we found ways to design around it and address key bottle necks within the corridor."
That includes adding additional lanes in between interchanges to solve some of the weaving and merging issues.
The future improvement plan would also change the Jackson and Benton Curves. Right now, drivers see an advisory speed limit sign asking them to slow down to 45 mph in these curves.
"We've found a preliminary design to help ease those curves and make them more safe," he said. "The improvements we identified, you'd be able to travel the curves at the speed limit."
Right now, this corridor of I-70 is almost 60 years old, which means some deteriorating roadway and bridges.
The study resulted in suggested improvements totaling $265 million, according to MoDOT.
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