Wednesday, August 17, 2016

Milestone Celebrated: JoCo Gateway interchange opens


Overhead shot of the new 95th Street & 1-35 diverging diamond interchange which is now open

Travelers in Johnson County woke up to great news this morning. The nearly three-year, $288 million Johnson County Gateway project is a step closer to completion. Today marks the opening of the 95th Street and I-35 diverging diamond interchange in Lenexa.


Tuesday, Interim Kansas Transportation Secretary Richard Carlson, along with Lenexa Mayor Mike Boehm, Gateway Interchange Constructors Bill Clarkson and Kansas Department of Transportation Project Director Paul Gripka, celebrated this milestone at a ribbon-cutting ceremony and officially declared this portion of the project completed.

This is the fourth diverging diamond interchange in the Kansas City metro area and it will pave the way for new opportunities for existing and future development.
Construction of the interchange began in February and has been closed to traffic for six months. Secretary Carlson commented on how important the opening of this interchange is to area businesses and travelers.

We know the full closure of this interchange came with many traffic delays and we understand what this means to commuters,” said Secretary Carlson. “This project will make the daily commute faster, more efficient and comfortable, while providing benefits to businesses in the 95th Street corridor.”
A nighttime view of the 95th St. & I-35 diverging diamond interchange. 

The broader I-435/1-35/K-10 Gateway area carries more than 230,000 vehicles daily  and that number is expected to grow by 150,000 in just 25 years.
Construction of the Gateway was prompted by the  expected growth in traffic, needed repair, economic development and safety concerns. The Gateway, which is the state’s first major design-build project, is expected to be substantially complete by the end of 2016.
This map explains how traffic is designed to move.
More information can be found at www.jocogateway.com 

Check out the video below for a flyover view of the new diverging diamond interchange. 



            

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