Traffic Switch for Route 71
Posted By J.T. on August 5, 2009
Traffic will switch from northbound Route 71 to two-way, head-to-head traffic on the southbound lanes beginning 6 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 8. Route 71 traffic will encounter various lane closures in each direction on Saturday as crews prepare for the traffic switch.
The east bridge on southbound Route 71 over Route 150 is complete, prompting the traffic pattern change one month ahead of schedule. Both the north and southbound lanes on Route 71 between just south of 140th Street and just north of 155th Street will continue as two lanes in each direction. Route 71 will be open to three lanes in each direction by summer 2010.
In addition, the ramp from Route 150 to southbound Route 71 will reopen to eastbound traffic. Westbound traffic will continue using the current detour to gain access to southbound Route 71. Westbound traffic will take Route 150 to the East Outer Road to the 155th Street exit. Crews will continue additional pavement work under the Route 71 bridge and install a temporary signal to allow westbound traffic to make the left turn to access southbound Route 71 by the end of September.
Ramp reconfiguration is also underway, with the ramp from northbound Route 71 to Route 150 closing until all work on the bridge is complete. Traffic will be detoured to the 155th Street exit and sent on the East Outer Road to gain access to Route 150. The entire project is scheduled for completion by November 2010.
Traffic will slow oat peak periods during this project as more than 80,000 vehicles per day travel the corridor.
Work on Route 71 at the 163rd Street interchange in northern Cass County also will slow traffic, but MoDOT is committed to keeping two lanes of Route 71 open in both directions during peak periods throughout these projects.
For more information about other projects in the area, please visit MoDOT’s Web site at www.modot.mo.gov/kansascity.
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