The long-awaited rebuild of the North Junction in Wichita is scheduled to begin soon with contracts to be let in January to rebuild the I-235/Broadway interchange, remove the Seneca Street overpass (Seneca is a section-line road, the next one west of Broadway, but is fairly minor where it crosses over I-235), and replace the Arkansas River bridges between Broadway and Seneca. This is all preliminary work to prepare for rebuild of the interchange core, for which no dates have yet been set.
https://www.kansas.com/news/politics-government/article221967910.html
It's about darned time. Even though road construction at this location will directly affect my daily commute... It's about darned time. I'll gladly give up a stress-free daily commute (I commute opposite to the direction of most people) to this long-needed project. Thanks for posting.
You are welcome. I just hope that there is enough in the budget to allow a reasonably early start on the major work, which will deliver the bulk of the traffic benefits. I'm planting a seed with this thread and hope that there will soon be more to report.
First contract has now been advertised:
235-87 KA-3110-01 plans volume 1 (https://kdotapp.ksdot.org/burconsmain/contracts/Proposals/Plans/519012595p.pdf) (77 MB)
235-87 KA-3110-01 plans volume 2 (https://kdotapp.ksdot.org/burconsmain/contracts/Proposals/Plans/519012595p2.pdf) (72 MB)
235-87 KA-3110-01 plans volume 3 (https://kdotapp.ksdot.org/burconsmain/contracts/Proposals/Plans/519012595p3.pdf) (142 MB)
235-87 KA-3110-01 plans volume 4 (https://kdotapp.ksdot.org/burconsmain/contracts/Proposals/Plans/519012595p4.pdf) (33 MB)
If I'm reading the plans correctly, here's what's involved:
- I-235 westbound will be widened from two lanes to three from ~ 1/2 mile east of the Broadway Exit west to K-96. The 235/96 split becomes a two lane exit with an option line and signed with an APL.
- I-235 eastbound will be widened to four lanes from the K-96 split east to the exit to Broadway. Lane 4 drops off at Broadway, and 3 lanes continue east another 3/4 mile.
- The Seneca Street overpass will be removed and not replaced. On the north side, Seneca will curve in to 40th Street, which itself will be extended to tie in to Meridian at 42nd Street
- There will be a traffic light on Meridian at 40th/42nd. There will be protected/permitted left turns. The left turn lane heads show as type "H," which the plans show as either a doghouse or a five-light vertical design. Past KDOT plans have also put the Flashing Yellow Arrow heads under type "H."
- The ramps from I-235 to/from Broadway will be realigned with a greater radius loop ramps, particular the northbound on and off ramps. There will be new traffic signals for the northbound on/off ramps (with the same "type 'H'" protected/permitted signal) but the signals for the southbound on/off ramps will be removed. They will have the infrastructure in place to re-install the southbound signals should it be warranted.
- As part of the project, KDOT had to acquire two lots on the southwest side of the interchange. One of those lots was the former site of a gas station. There was a project let back in July (https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=15260.msg2338580#msg2338580) to remove the gas tanks from the site.
The bid was awarded to "Bergkamp King, A Joint Venture, LLC, Wichita" with the approved bid of $51.3 million.
I didn't get a picture, but I saw this morning that the new APL has been installed on the approach along NB I-135.
This will be really nice once they get this completed. There really isn't all that much I can think of of any other major projects currently needed in Wichita other than a few little spot widening"˜s and short freeway conversions. Once this is done KDOT should really focus on the I 70 section through Topeka. That should be a big project and placed below grade so it can be capped in some sections.