KANSAS CITY, Mo. — As crews continue work on a major project impacting Interstate 70 and Interstate 435, neighbors remain frustrated in a community near the drop-off zone for debris from the roadwork.
This weekend, the Missouri Department of Transportation will shut down parts of I-70 for bridge demolition work.
For residents in the Western Blue Township neighborhood, the work has brought plenty of frustration.
“It’s normally quiet and there isn’t a whole lot of noise,” Ronnie Hicks, who has lived in the area for the past nine years, said. “Now, we can’t sleep. They are running the bulldozers and some dump trucks, and the gates are slamming on them.”
Wind chimes sounded peacefully and deer could be seen walking in the woods Friday near homes in the neighborhood.
However, after sundown, noise could be heard from the construction site, which is located just beyond trees near the backyards of some of the residents.
Neighbor Javier Guerrero looked through binoculars as a truck drove through the site and bright lights shined across the area.
“Recently, with all this going on, it’s been hectic and hard to sleep,” he said. “It’s just got all these trucks banging their tailgates and stuff real loud and all that.”
Hicks said the noises and lights from the site led him to voice a complaint to MoDOT.
After being contacted by 41 Action News for the story, MoDOT sent a short statement regarding the issues.
“MoDOT is aware of the situation and will look into it ... and will also consider possible adjustments,” the statement read.
After speaking with neighbors, 41 Action News also reached out multiple times to the contractor operating at the site but did not receive a response.
MoDOT said the work is expected to continue for the next two months.
Moving forward, the neighbors hoped peace and quiet could return soon.
“I want it to stop immediately," Hicks said. “I think they should have found a far better place to dump their debris than in the middle of this community.”
