KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Construction crews shut down the southbound lanes of U.S. 169 Highway Monday morning across the Buck O’Neil Bridge.
The closure is in place from the Wheeler Downtown Airport on the north side of the Missouri River to 5th Street on the south side. The lanes will remain closed until October 2024.
The closure is part of the ongoing Buck O’Neil Bridge replacement project. The $220 million project will connect U.S. 169 directly with Interstate 35. The new bridge should open in October 2024, with construction coming to an end in December 2024.
The project director said constriction remains on schedule. James Pflum encourages the 50,000 daily drivers who cross the bridge to plan a detour in advance. The Missouri Department of Transportation suggests southbound drivers use the Christoper “Kit” Bond Bridge which takes Interstate 35 across the Missouri River.
“There are a lot of improvements that are going to be coming, so we just ask you bear with that and we’ll get there in the end,” Pflum said.