Spring is near and work on 69Express, like the weather, is warming up! Bridge construction continues at I-435 and U.S. 69 interchange, as well as 119th Street, 135th Street and 167th Street. Noise wall installation continues throughout the corridor and soon paving crews will resume pouring new pavement.

Additionally, shafts are being drilled, as seen in the photo below, for foundations to support the overhead sign structures throughout the corridor. The overhead sign trusses will display the various project signs to guide drivers to their destinations. It is dirty work but will be needed along the corridor before the new lanes open.

Northbound U.S. 69 ramp to 135th Street will be closed March 16 through April

The northbound U.S. 69 ramp to 135th Street will fully close to traffic beginning at 5 p.m. Sunday, March 16. The ramp will reopen at the end of April.   

During the closure, a detour will be marked as follows:   

• Northbound U.S. 69 traffic can take the Blue Valley Pkwy. exit. Turn right on 123rd Street, then turn right on Metcalf Ave. and take southbound Metcalf Ave. to 135th Street.

The closure is necessary to complete reconstruction of the ramp and tie into new northbound U.S. 69 pavement. The work is part of the KDOT U.S. 69 Expansion Project (69Express). All scheduled project work is weather permitting and subject to change.  

Map below shows the closure location marked in red and the detour route marked in blue.

167th Street Interchange at U.S. 69: Long-Term Closures Begin Early April

Reconstruction of the U.S. 69 and 167th Street interchange will have significant closure impacts this spring. For 180 days, from early April through October, 167th Street at U.S. 69 including the ramps, will be closed. U.S. 69 over 167th Street will be reduced to one lane in both directions.

The 167th Street interchange will be reconstructed, including adding south-facing ramps for access to and from both directions of U.S. 69. 167th Street will also be reconstructed, expanding the street to four lanes. Roundabouts will be added at the 167th Street and U.S. 69 ramp intersections. Detour routes will be marked as shown on the map below.

More information will be available closer to the closure date. To see the final design of the new interchange, click here.

Closure and Detour Map for 167th Street at U.S. 69

Behind the Scenes

On the 69Express project, we have heard from many people along the corridor who are anxious to receive their noise walls. Multiple crews are working throughout the corridor to install noise wall foundations, setting posts and getting panels for the walls installed and painted. The photo above was taken along the northbound lanes at U.S. 69 and 135th Street.

For an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at construction progress, click here.

Moving Forward

Want to stay up to date on the project? Visit 69Express.org or follow us on Facebook, X (Formerly Twitter) and YouTube at @69Express for more updates. 

To be notified about upcoming closures and other impacts to your commute, please visit the project website or sign up for regular text alerts.