I-435

scooterj · Post by **scooterj** » Sat Apr 03, 2004 3:44 pm

I just had the misfortune of choosing I-70 to I-435 as my route to get to western Lenexa. I-70 was fine... but the construction on I-435 was beyond ridiculous. I was immediately trapped in a horrific miles-long jam as the crews had 435 closed down to just ONE LANE open, begining right at the point where the ramps from I-70 merge onto 435.

Lane closures + suburbs don't mix and this was bringing out the worst in SUV drivers. They were crossing the grass median, driving at high speed on the shoulders, and, worst of all, crossing the cones and driving in the construction area. There were police at the far north end trying to control tempers but they needed police positioned all throughout the jam. I saw none.

The dumbest thing about it was that I never saw any reason why any lanes needed to be closed at all. I didn't travel close to the entire length though, when I exited the backup still stretched out over the horizon in front of me.

I managed to escape from it about 2 miles (or 25 minutes) after getting into it by taking an exit I was unfamiliar with.The only upside to the experience was that when I decided to exit on an unfamiliar road I got to drive through a beautiful portion of Wyandotte County that I had never seen beefore.

Post by **bahua** » Sat Apr 03, 2004 4:01 pm

I would prefer a trip to the dentist to a drive down 435, especially on the KS side.

KCK · Post by **KCK** » Mon Apr 05, 2004 8:19 am

Guys I drive this route through Lenexa every day, and even with traffic down to one lane, it only added 10 minutes to the time it usually takes me to get to Devry. Compared with traffic in other parts of the country, this was a breeze.

Like you said the biggest problem is the other drivers. People who won't get over until the very last second are the reason the delays take so long. They cut in and slow down traffic a lot. Also people who try to cut people off and speed through the construction areas are not only a danger, but actually work to slow things down even more. The fact that the police are out makes it even worse because now with cops pulling people over, it takes even longer. Anyway, this stretch of under construction is not nearly as bad as the mess that happens when it is rush hour near I435 and 69 highway. Why couldn't they make the exit off of 69 highway four lanes all the way to KCMO??? I can't tell you how many times I have been at a complete stop right there because the onslaught of merging vehicles was so great.

scooterj · Post by **scooterj** » Mon Apr 05, 2004 8:32 am

I'd be willing to bet it's worse on weekends than during the week with all the NFM/Cabelas traffic. I literally, this is not an exaggeration, spent nearly half an hour to move just 2 miles.

A couple hours after I was there a KCK woman died on that very same stretch, the description of the accident makes it seem that she was one of the people trying to cut across the median to get out of it.

KCK · Post by **KCK** » Mon Apr 05, 2004 8:40 am

Yeah I heard about the woman who died. Why do people waste their time trying to cut across, that is just so stupid and dangerous. My heart goes out to her and her family though.

Maitre D · Post by **Maitre D** » Thu Sep 16, 2004 4:09 pm

Since i was a toddler, that highway has been under perpetual repair.

Yet, no other highway in the area is in the same situation. Can anyone explain why this is? Is there something wrong with the soil out by the stadiums....b/c it's not more traveled than 1-35 thru the city.....

omenapt · Post by **omenapt** » Fri Sep 17, 2004 10:58 am

I'm not sure anyone anticipated the tremendous growth of lees summit..that has contributed to a lot of congestion, i.e I-470, I-435 and the good ole triangle..plus the 63rd street exit was never designed properly , i.e exit off Hwy 350 . and tremendous usage for trucks bypasing city that would have cruised thru on I-35 thru the city

Post by **dangerboy** » Fri Sep 17, 2004 12:39 pm

I think it's the oldest section of the I-435 loop, built several years before the others. So it needs more maintenance. There have been several different projects in the last few years. First it was the guard cables in the medians, then pavement resurfacing, and now work on the 350 Hwy intersection and several different bridges along the highway.

It would be nice if they did more of the work at once, but MoDOT can only afford small pieces of work each year.

GRID · Post by **GRID** » Fri Sep 17, 2004 1:01 pm

dangerboy wrote:I think it's the oldest section of the I-435 loop, built several years before the others. So it needs more maintenance. There have been several different projects in the last few years. First it was the guard cables in the medians, then pavement resurfacing, and now work on the 350 Hwy intersection and several different bridges along the highway.

It would be nice if they did more of the work at once, but MoDOT can only afford small pieces of work each year.

nice job db.

Pretty much nailed it. Thing is, there is no end in sight. After the 350 interchange is built, everything south to State Line should be ok for at least the next several years. They will eventually have to replace the concrete under the asphalt, but I think they might have a decade or so left on the original concrete. Next up is the stuff north of 350. The next project will be the replacement of the Front St interchange and then the I-70 interchange and the 210 interchange. So your overall impression of 435 wonâ€™t change much.

Post by **dangerboy** » Fri Sep 17, 2004 5:16 pm

I can't wait for the I-70/435 interchange to FINALLY get rebuilt. Hopefully that will mean three full lanes on I-70 all the way under 435. Going down to two lanes under 435 has got to be the biggest choke point on I-70 right now.

GRID · Post by **GRID** » Fri Sep 17, 2004 6:08 pm

dangerboy wrote:I can't wait for the I-70/435 interchange to FINALLY get rebuilt. Hopefully that will mean three full lanes on I-70 all the way under 435. Going down to two lanes under 435 has got to be the biggest choke point on I-70 right now.

It will be nice, but it won't help much untill they widen I-70 east of 435 to at least eight lanes. I drive it everyday and it never loosens up once east of 435. The 435 traffic merges in and fills it right back up and it's backed up to at least Noland Road.

Post by **dangerboy** » Sun Sep 19, 2004 1:00 pm

Whatever happened to the I-70 MIS in Jackson County? There was a big open house a couple of years ago with all of the pretty maps and posters, but they never announced a decision on which option to pursue. The project web site is also gone.

GRID · Post by **GRID** » Sun Sep 19, 2004 10:19 pm

dangerboy wrote:Whatever happened to the I-70 MIS in Jackson County? There was a big open house a couple of years ago with all of the pretty maps and posters, but they never announced a decision on which option to pursue. The project web site is also gone.

The 350 project is actually part the results of that MIS. The other parts are re-building the 70/435 interchange, the Front St interchange and the 210 interchange like I mentioned.

MoDOT pulled the plug on the big 435/70 interchange in the middle of it's design because they wanted to wait for the completion of the I-70 MIS.

So Front will start soon, 210 after that and then the big I-70 interchange which will probably be built at the same time as the big re-construction of I-70 project in Independence.

Post by **dangerboy** » Mon Sep 20, 2004 10:00 am

What about the other parts of the MIS? e.g. straightening the curves, consolidating downtown access on the northeast corner of the loop, HOV and/or reversable lanes?

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