Turner Diagonal becoming less of a freeway

[route56]

Long story short: KCK will be reconfiguring the Turner Diagonal/Riverview interchange into an at-grade intersection due to an anticipated increase in truck traffic. Not said in this release: those trucks run the risk of canopenering if the bridge is not removed.

TRAFFIC ALERT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 20, 2016
News Contact:    Kimberly Qualls, (785) 640-9340 or kimberly.qualls@ks.gov (NOTE: new email address)

Eastbound I-70 to Southbound Turner Diagonal Freeway Exit Ramp 24/7 LONG-TERM CLOSURE

24/7 LONG-TERM RAMP CLOSURE: Eastbound I-70 to southbound Turner Diagonal Freeway exit ramp CLOSED, 24/7 round the clock, for adjacent construction and bridge demolition work on the Unified Government of Wyandotte County's new at-grade Turner Diagonal and Riverview Avenue intersection project beginning on Wednesday, September 14 through May 2017, weather permitting (Wyandotte County).

This new intersection work is in preparation for traffic that will be generated via the adjacent construction underway on the new Amazon Distribution Facility. Additional ramp closures are scheduled to occur throughout the project duration. The overall intersection project is scheduled to be completed in May 2017, weather permitting.

Advance message boards will provide a marked detour route via eastbound I-70 to southbound 57th Street to westbound Kaw Drive to access Turner Diagonal Freeway. See marked detour map above.

Drivers should expect delays during their daily commutes and must use alternate routes during this long-term ramp closure.

[intelati49]

Long story short: KCK will be reconfiguring the Turner Diagonal/Riverview interchange into an at-grade intersection due to an anticipated increase in truck traffic. Not said in this release: those trucks run the risk of canopenering if the bridge is not removed.

14'3" clearance.

Ahh. Makes more sense now

[route56]

Long story short: KCK will be reconfiguring the Turner Diagonal/Riverview interchange into an at-grade intersection due to an anticipated increase in truck traffic. Not said in this release: those trucks run the risk of canopenering if the bridge is not removed.

14'3" clearance.

Ahh. Makes more sense now

Actually, I think in at least one direction, the clearance is only 13' 11"

[jeffandnicole]

Being trucks aren't legally allowed to be taller than 13' 6", what's the difference if it's 13' 11" or 14' 3"?

[CtrlAltDel]

Being trucks aren't legally allowed to be taller than 13' 6", what's the difference if it's 13' 11" or 14' 3"?

The legal height in Kansas is 14 feet.

[The Ghostbuster]

Since I've never been anywhere near this Turner Diagonal, can someone show me on Google Maps where it is?

[Scott5114]

It runs between I-70 and K-32 in the Turner neighborhood of Kansas City, Kansas.

Easiest way to find it is to start at the I-635/K-32 interchange and follow K-32 west until it crosses the Kansas River, where K-32 splits away and the mainline becomes the Turner Diagonal.

[CtrlAltDel]

Since I've never been anywhere near this Turner Diagonal, can someone show me on Google Maps where it is?

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.1025314,-94.7368913,366m/data=!3m1!1e3

[The Ghostbuster]

Thank you!

[yakra]

On TravelMapping:
tm.teresco.org/hb/index.php?r=ks.turdia

(Hm. So this "select freeway" is gonna be not a freeway. Mumble Grumble.)

[SD Mapman]

On TravelMapping:
tm.teresco.org/hb/index.php?r=ks.turdia

(Hm. So this "select freeway" is gonna be not a freeway. Mumble Grumble.)

I know, right?

[Alex]

On TravelMapping:
tm.teresco.org/hb/index.php?r=ks.turdia

(Hm. So this "select freeway" is gonna be not a freeway. Mumble Grumble.)

I know, right?

Researching the KC area for the site, I saw that the interchange at the north end of the Turner Diagonal was also replaced with an at-grade intersection.  In a related question,  when was the frwy dropped as the the alignment for US 40?

Seems downgrading interchanges to at-grades is a staple of the area, with all of them removed from the former 18th Street Expressway (old K-58)  south of I-35 in 1994 and 2003. Plus the loop ramps at I-35 were taken out before 1991 per historic aerials.

[Revive 755]

Long story short: KCK will be reconfiguring the Turner Diagonal/Riverview interchange into an at-grade intersection due to an anticipated increase in truck traffic. Not said in this release: those trucks run the risk of canopenering if the bridge is not removed.

But with the bridge there is less chance of someone getting t-boned by a semi pushing or running the light on Turner Diagonal. 

Instead of piecemealling the corridor, they should go all the way with the freeway downgrade and at-grade the interchange with 65th and modify the interchange at K-32 IMHO.

It will be interesting to see how the number of accidents changes for the new intersection versus the previous interchange.

[route56]

Researching the KC area for the site, I saw that the interchange at the north end of the Turner Diagonal was also replaced with an at-grade intersection.  In a related question,  when was the frwy dropped as the the alignment for US 40?

I got the chance to show Alex the Turner Diagonal today, but for the record, 40 was taken off the Turner Diagonal in 2009, when State Avenue was turned back to KCK.

[Alex]

Researching the KC area for the site, I saw that the interchange at the north end of the Turner Diagonal was also replaced with an at-grade intersection.  In a related question,  when was the frwy dropped as the the alignment for US 40?

I got the chance to show Alex the Turner Diagonal today, but for the record, 40 was taken off the Turner Diagonal in 2009, when State Avenue was turned back to KCK.

Did not think that U.S. 40 was still routed on the Turner Diagonal so recently. I'll create a page for it on the site at some point.

Thanks again for the tour, it was fantastic!

[Scott5114]

40 was only on the Diagonal between State and I-70. The rest of the Diagonal has been unnumbered since the early 90s, when the K-132 designation was axed.