Work has begun on a new Interstate 70 viaduct in downtown Topeka, Kansas, which aims to improve safety and traffic flow in the city.
Forecast to wrap up in 2027, the $239 million I-70 Polk-Quincy Viaduct Project will replace the viaduct built in the 1950s with a new 2.5-mile, six-lane viaduct and widened I-70. The Kansas Department of Transportation says the viaduct has deteriorated, traffic volumes have increased and the surrounding area has seen increased development. The project area stretches from MacVicar Avenue to 6th Avenue.
The contract was awarded to Bettis Koss Construction, a joint venture between Kansas contractors Bettis Asphalt & Construction Inc. and Koss Construction Co.
Part of the project involves realigning a sharp curve on I-70 in downtown Topeka.
Kansas Secretary of Transportation Calvin Reed said the new corridor will be built to last 100 years.
The Kansas DOT has published the following timeline for the project:
- 2025: Construction will focus on constructing the new viaduct and widening I-70 west to MacVicar. I-70 remains open in a reduced configuration.
- 2026: Construction will focus on connecting the highway to the new viaduct. I-70 will remain open for a portion of the year in a reduced configuration.
- 2027: Construction will focus on completing work on west I-70 and the local city street network. I-70 Polk-Quincy Viaduct will be open in a reduced configuration until all work complete.
In 2022, a Kansas DOT bridge inspector resigned after a 60-foot section of concrete barrier wall from the Polk-Quincy Viaduct fell into an empty parking lot. It was reported at the time that the north barrier wall over I-70 west fell due to deteriorated steel connecting the wall to the viaduct, an expanded bridge joint and high temperatures.
