KSHB 41 reporter Rachel Henderson covers neighborhoods in Wyandotte and Leavenworth counties. Share your story idea with Rachel.
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Kansas City, Kansas, will receive $135 million in funding to replace bridges along the Central Avenue corridor, officials announced Thursday.
Some residents wonder if the move intentionally aligns with an incoming Chiefs stadium.
Gov. Laura Kelly, KCK Mayor Christal Watson and the Kansas Department of Transportation made the announcement, marking a significant investment in infrastructure that has been closed for years.
"My residents and businesses, they have just been asking for this for so long," said Rep. Pam Curtis, who has been advocating for the funding for the past four years. "It even popped up on my survey last year as the number one issue over property tax reduction."
KSHB 41's Rachel Henderson first met Curtis in August 2025 to discuss the need for bridge funding.
Months later, Curtis learned about the funding when the lieutenant governor and secretary of transportation reached out to her.
"I am feeling wonderful about it," Curtis said. "It was just such great news. It came together quite quickly there in a few days and was quite a surprise."
The announcement comes just one month after the Kansas City Chiefs announced their move to Wyandotte County in 2031.
"We've been at it for four years trying to raise attention on how critical this bridge has been for both our businesses and residents in the area," Curtis said.
The project is scheduled for competitive public bidding as early as late 2028, with construction likely beginning in 2029, according to KDOT officials.
KDOT and the Unified Government say they've been working together for more than three years to address the Central Avenue bridges.
The collaboration allows KDOT to construct its bridges on the current alignment while replacing the UG's bridge over the Kansas River at the same cost.
"Over the past several months, Public Works teams working on the Elevating KCK river crossings study have partnered with KDOT to evaluate options, share local data and coordinate long-term planning for the corridor," the UG Public Works department said in a statement.
The project will be funded through KDOT's 10-year comprehensive IKE transportation program.
KDOT and the UG are jointly pursuing federal grants to help offset costs.
Curtis noted that Kansas City, Kansas, has been impacted by five closed bridges in the downtown area, with the Kansas Avenue Bridge remaining a critical access need.
"I think it was really more coincidental," Curtis said about the timing with the Chiefs announcement, though she suggested the move may have prompted officials to take "another look at Kansas City, Kansas, and how we are landlocked."
Zach Wilson, who owns a screen printing business along Kansas Avenue, sees the funding as a win but hopes support will extend to other remaining infrastructure needs.
Henderson also met Wilson in August 2025.
He's been very vocal about advocating on behalf of impacted businesses in the area.
"The detours and delays are very frustrating for us as business owners," Wilson said. "A lot of our clientele is on the Missouri side, and while they're only a couple miles away from us, with the bridge closures, it creates a giant detour."
Wilson said his business has seen Missouri customers drop off because other options don't require lengthy detours.
"It was a little disappointing for us because we obviously wanted to see Kansas Avenue open," Wilson said.
Wilson acknowledged he considered a potential connection between the stadium announcement and the bridge funding.
"Absolutely, I did, and I'm sure in some ways it is related," Wilson said. "Obviously, with a project of that size, you have to have accessibility. But small business owners, we should have accessibility, too. We're just as important as the Chiefs."
State Sen. Jeff Klemp, who represents parts of Wyandotte and Leavenworth counties, said the timing raised questions. Nevertheless, he welcomes the investment.
"It always raises an eyebrow when you have a very significant bridge and a cost that moves outside of the normal IKE program timeline," Klemp said.
He said he doesn't "know for sure" if it's tied to the Chiefs announcement, but he's "glad that's happening."
At a committee meeting last week, Klemp emphasized the need for infrastructure improvements to support both the Chiefs' stadium and existing communities.
"I do think that there's this opportunity, and you have to seize on that opportunity now," Klemp said.
The Central Avenue project is part of several ongoing bridge construction efforts in Wyandotte County, including work on I-435, K-5 over Union Pacific Railroad, U.S. 69 bridge over the Kansas River, and K-32/Turner Diagonal Freeway.
Public Works will share more details on next steps — including grant opportunities and coordination efforts — during the Jan. 28 Public Works & Safety Standing Committee Meeting at 5 p.m.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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