13 July 2023
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Drivers on Interstate 135 and several popular Wichita streets in north and northeast Wichita will have to take detours this weekend.
On Saturday and Sunday, workers will put bridge beams in place for a new flyover ramp to Kansas Highway 96.
To give them room to work and to keep drivers safe, the Kansas Department of Transportation is closing southbound I-135 at the K-96 interchange on Saturday and northbound I-135 at the interchange on Sunday. The closures will affect drivers on K-96, Hillside, Oliver, and Hydraulic, which will end up impacting smaller side streets.
A KDOT spokesperson said some of the additional detours are because many large semis will be detouring and having to turn around at Hillside. Flaggers will be stationed at Hillside to keep traffic moving as those turnarounds happen.
KDOT provided specific details and maps about what to expect this weekend.
Saturday, 6 a.m. to 4 p.m.
All southbound I-135 north of the North Junction will be detoured onto southbound I-235.
Westbound K-254 to southbound I-135 will be closed
Northbound I-235 drivers exiting onto southbound I-135 will be detoured to eastbound K-96, to westbound K-96 to Hydraulic, south to 29th Street on-ramp to southbound I-135.
Westbound K-96 traffic coming from Oliver will detour to northbound Hillside.
Westbound K-96 traffic coming from east of Oliver will detour to southbound Oliver then to westbound 21st Street.
Northbound Hillside traffic south of K-96 will detour onto eastbound K-96.
Southbound Hillside traffic north of K-96 will detour onto eastbound 37th Street to southbound Oliver to westbound 21st Street.
The northbound I-135 exit to Hydraulic will be closed.
The Hydraulic on-ramp to northbound I-135 will be closed through the evening and overnight.
Southbound I-135 closure on Saturday, July 15, 2023. (Courtesy KDOT)
Sunday, 6 a.m. to 4 p.m.
All northbound I-135 from points south of K-96 will exit to eastbound K-96 to Hillside Street to westbound K-96 to northbound I-135.
Westbound K-96 traffic coming from Oliver Street will detour to northbound Hillside Street.
Westbound K-96 traffic coming from east of Oliver Street will detour to southbound Oliver Street to westbound 21st Street.
Northbound Hillside Street traffic south of K-96 will detour onto eastbound K-96.
Southbound Hillside Street traffic north of K-96 will detour onto eastbound 37th Street to southbound Oliver Street to westbound 21st Street.
Northbound I-135 closure on Sunday, July 16, 2023. (Courtesy KDOT)