Interchange project uses smart work zone to help drivers

It’s not often that a multi-year highway project finishes a full six months before its deadline. But that’s what drivers in Wichita have experienced with the first phase of the I-235/U.S. 54 Interchange improvements in west Wichita.

The I-235/U.S. 54 Interchange Project opened to traffic a full six months ahead of schedule. 

While the three-year project still has some work that is waiting for spring weather, drivers have been enjoying the benefits of the lane and ramps improvements since December. The remaining work items should not affect traffic and the project will wrap up before the planned date in June.

The project eliminated dangerous merge points and added dedicated directional ramps to make the interchange easier to travel. 

The project eliminated dicey merge points. Dedicated directional ramps make the busy interchange much easier to maneuver. 

A traffic camera helps monitor the construction area.

During the three years of construction, a Smart Work Zone was used to alert drivers of traffic incidents and other problems leading to congestion in the work zone. From K-42 to Central Avenue on I-235 and from Maize Road to downtown Wichita on U.S. 54, multiple monitoring devices positioned throughout the project area communicated real-time travel conditions then automatically posted travel times to common destinations in the city. 

Portable message signs were placed to help direct traffic and give drivers more information about their route.

Fifteen portable message signs placed on arterial streets were used to complement the large roadside WICHway message boards. Messages with estimated drive times through the construction zone allowed drivers to make informed decisions about their route. 

According to data collected during construction, as much as 50 percent of the traffic was diverted once delays of seven minutes or more were reported on the message signs.

“The design of the Smart Work Zone kept traffic moving safely, both through the construction site and along the alternative routes,” said Garry Olson, KDOT Smart Work Zone Coordinator. “We are encouraged by the results and look forward to maximizing this technology in future projects.”

And future projects keep coming. In the last week, a new three-year project on I-235 in north Wichita began that will replace six bridges, upgrade and expand travel lanes and reconfigure the I-235 and North Broadway interchange.