I-70 closure brings nearly 50-mile detour for Topeka drivers.

TOPEKA (KSNT) - Kansas transportation officials are due to close part of I-70 in Topeka this week as part of a larger project on I-470.

The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) announced in a press release on Wednesday, Aug. 21 that workers will close part of westbound I-70 in Topeka for the placement of steel girders on the I-470 bridge. The closure will begin at 9 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 22 for westbound I-70 under the bridge with the work expected to end around 5 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 23.

Drivers on westbound I-70 will be routed to northbound U.S. 75, then to westbound U.S. 24, over to southbound K-99 in Wamego and back to westbound I-70. This amounts to almost an hour of extra drive time and a 46-mile detour route. KDOT encourages motorists to follow the detour route or use other routes that are not marked.

Traffic on eastbound I-70 and on and off-ramps in the area will not be impacted by this project. Drivers should plan ahead and expect delays when traveling through this area on westbound I-70 during the project's time frame.

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