An area bridge over Interstate 70 is set to be demolished.

According to the Kansas Department of Transportation, plans call for the removal and replacement of the I-70 / K-43 Bridge in Dickinson County. Beginning next week on Wednesday the bridge will be demolished and removed while traffic passes by the work zone using the interchange on and off ramps. Construction of the new bridge will then begin.

On Monday, April 22nd, work on I-70 in Dickinson County began with the construction of cross-over lanes in the median in preparation for future road work. The project begins .4 miles west of the I-70/K-15 interchange at Abilene then east to a point 2.3 miles east of the I-70/K-43 interchange.
In total, eight bridges will receive improvements and the two K-43 bridges will be replaced.

During the bridge improvement phase of construction every other interchange will have ramps temporarily closed for construction to west bound traffic. This ensures that no two interchanges in a row will have closed ramps at any time.

When work on the first set of bridges is completed the associated ramps will be reopened and construction will move to the other set of bridges. When traffic is transferred to the new east bound lanes the ramp closure process will be repeated. Drivers should be prepared for changes in traffic control throughout construction.

The purpose of the project is to extend the life of the highway and associated bridges while improving ride quality.