North Kansas City residents worried about traffic as 11-month Interstate 70 closure approaches in January

KSHB 41 News reporter Lauren Schwentker covers stories in the Northland, including in Clay and Platte counties. Have a story idea? Send her an email.

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People in the Northland are raising concerns about the upcoming Interstate 70 project as the Missouri Department of Transportation and North Kansas City prepare for detours and work to keep drivers safe.

Starting in January, I-70 will close for 11 months between Prospect Avenue and Van Brunt Boulevard.

Donna Belton, who drives on I-70, said the closure will create significant disruption for daily commuters.

"If you want to go out of town, the main road is I-70," Belton said.

Fabian Rosales/KSHB 41

Belton drives from Gladstone to Blue Springs and is already preparing for longer detours.

"11 months? That's a whole year of frustration," she said.

She also expressed concern about the traffic impact in her neighborhood.

"What are people going to do? This traffic where I stay at is already clustered," Belton added.

While the closure is east of downtown, its impact is expected to reach the Northland.

A North Kansas City resident who lives near North Kansas City Hospital, wrote in with concerns about semi-truck traffic in the area.

"I am deeply concerned that semi-trucks are permitted to pass through town on the stretch of road between I-435 and I-29," she said.

She said the situation is already dangerous for residents and could get worse once the closure begins.

"The traffic situation is becoming dangerous for residents, and I anticipate conditions will worsen significantly once the planned I-70 closures take effect," she said.

City leaders said in a statement North Kansas City will closely monitor traffic during the closure, while enforcing its existing truck routes.

"Diamond Parkway is a posted no-truck route. The designated truck route through North Kansas City is 16th Avenue to Linn Street to Highway 210," the city said.

North Kansas City said it has navigated similar challenges before, including during the Bond Bridge repairs, Buck O'Neil Bridge replacement and Highway 9 improvements, and said it will make operational adjustments whenever feasible to improve traffic flow and minimize impacts to residents.

James Pflum, project director for Improve I-70, said MoDOT is focused on identifying state routes that can handle the increased traffic load.

"We're really focusing on what are the state routes that can be used to get around, especially as it pertains to the Northland," Pflum said.

Fabian Rosales/KSHB 41

Pflum also said many commuters from Clay and Platte counties will shift to Interstate 29, Interstate 35, the Downtown Loop and Interstate 435 to get around the closure. He said trucks heading into downtown will also be directed to stay on I-35 instead of using local streets.

"We recognize we're asking 100,000 cars to find alternate routes, and so this is a big collaborative thing that we're going to have to work through," Pflum said.

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