Editor’s note: Story has been updated with new routes as of June 26 via the City of Shawnee.
A bridge reconstruction project on I-435 and Midland Drive in Shawnee will have traffic diverted and lanes closed for much of the next 18 months.
On Monday, crews from the Kansas Department of Transportation officially started work on the $9.5 million project, shutting down Midland Drive at I-435 and posting detour signs in the area.
Most immediately, Midland Drive at I-435 and the southbound I-435/Midland Drive exit ramp will be closed until December.
Here’s what drivers need to know:
The project includes three phases and a break
- Phase One is scheduled from June to August, where crews will be making temporary pavement markings, widening shoulders and crossover construction, as well as bridge improvements.
- Phase 2 will take place from August to December, in which crews are expected to make improvements to the northbound I-435/Midland Drive bridge.
- From December to March 2025, the project will shut down for the winter.
- Phase 3 will resume in March 2025 and finish up in November of next year with bridge improvements on the southbound I-435/Midland Drive bridge and culvert work.
View this post on Instagram
Roads will be closed
From the start of the project until the December break, certain roads will be closed, including:
- Westbound Midland Drive at Renner Road
- Eastbound Midland Drive at Elmridge Road
- Southbound I-435 to the Midland Drive exit ramp (traffic on Shawnee Mission Parkway traffic will have access to the exit at Midland Drive)
Drivers should be to watching for detour signs
The city of Shawnee is asking people who commute or live near Midland Drive to take the following detours:
For access to eastbound Midland Drive:
- Take 435 southbound to 87th Street.
- Turn left and follow signs for northbound 435 to access Comfort Inn, Fairfield Inn, Hampton Inn, great dining and entertainment.
For access to westbound Midland Drive:
- Take 435 northbound to Shawnee Mission Parkway and follow signs for 435 southbound.
- Then take Midland exit to access Courtyard by Marriott, Holiday Inn Express, and Hereford House.
Drivers are asked to watch out for message boards in the area to warn them about construction work and detours.
Depending on where crews are working, lane and ramp closures may vary. Barrier walls and traffic cones will be placed in work zones.
A more extensive detour list from KDOT is available at this link.
Locals have been dreading the project
At the 7-Eleven gas station on Midland Drive on a Tuesday evening, Pete Sprails, a Kansas City resident who works nearby, laments having to take a detour to get back home.
“I’ve already forgotten about taking the detour twice this week,” he said. “It’s something we all knew about. They warned us about it. I guess we were hoping they forgot.”
While it might be cumbersome to navigate, it will be worth it in the end, Shawn Baker, a Shawnee resident said, while pumping gas.
“We have to make sure our bridges are ready for all the people that have been coming here. It’s only getting bigger,” he said. “I don’t like it as much as the next person. But it beats having a disaster.”
Shawnee is trying to get the word out
While the work is part of a state-run project, the city is doing what it can to keep residents updated about closures and route changes.
“Since it is a state project, KDOT has been making the final decisions on traffic control, timeline and project schedule,” Doug Donahoo, Shawnee’s communication director, wrote in an email to the Post. “Shawnee is doing what we can to share information as we receive it from KDOT to our residents and businesses via the city’s website, emails, and our social channels.”
People can stay updated on alerts from KDOT through its website, by calling 511 or following its social media accounts like X (formerly known as Twitter) and Instagram, as well as the City of Shawnee’s Midland Drive site.
Other Kansas transportation news: Goodbye, tollbooths. The Kansas Turnpike will soon be cashless
