The Missouri Department of Transportation (MODOT) plans to reopen the southbound U.S. Route 169 lanes on the Buck O’Neil Bridge tomorrow after two years of construction and road closures.
The new bridge will connect Interstate 35 to U.S. 169, dedicate lanes to downtown Kansas City, provide pedestrians with walking and bike lanes and make significant improvements to the downtown airport route.
“If you’re a local commuter trying to get to downtown Kansas City, you’re going to see that restoration,” said Buck O’Neil Bridge Project Director James Pflum. “You’re going to have a smoother ride, better bridge, better striping, better signage. If you’re a regional commuter going from southbound 169 to I-35, that direct connection is going to make travel times a lot shorter.”
The original Buck O’Neil Bridge was fully demolished in October. It featured a triple-arch design, which no longer constructs according to MODOT.
The new bridge was designed with plate girders and requires less maintenance than the previous structure. More safety features are included on the new bridge such as concrete barriers and fencing for the pedestrian path.
The bridge project cost just under $248 million, and MODOT planners say the new structure is designed to last at least 100 years.
Drivers may still experience some intermittent closures in and around the area, according to MODOT.
Source: FOX 4 KC, KMBC
