31 May 2023
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Drivers on Interstate 135 will notice a new exit as of Wednesday. Exit 11A will take northbound drivers to Interstate 235.
They no longer have to use the single-lane traffic loop that got so congested during evening rush hour. The new flyover ramp is two lanes.
Construction of the ramp is just part of multiple projects aimed at improving traffic flow at the North Junction.
The North Junction is the name for the confluence of I-135, I-235, Kansas Highway 96 and Kansas Highway 254.
The Kansas Department of Transportation says about 100,000 vehicles a day use the North Junction. Almost 10,000 of those vehicles are trucks.
KDOT says the new ramp offers relief from weekday congestion that resulted in unreliable travel times for commuters, the trucking industry and other drivers.
The construction cost for this sub-phase is $36.3 million. The southbound I-135 exit to southbound I-235 was also rebuilt and improvements were made to the westbound K-254 exit to southbound I-135. Completion of this sub-phase is expected in late-2023. It began in April of 2021.
Partners contributing to this project include the Federal Highway Administration, City of Wichita and Sedgwick County. The primary contractor is Dondlinger & Sons Construction Co. of Wichita.
Work continues south of this ramp as other improvements are made at the I-135/K-96 interchange plus a direct connection from northbound I-235 to eastbound K-96 will improve traffic flow in the area.
For information on the North Junction projects, click here.