Driving between the Northland and downtown KC? Your ultimate bridge and traffic guide
Northland residents and commuters may encounter delays this fall when crossing the Missouri River near downtown Kansas City.
Construction projects are restricting travel on or near multiple bridges that funnel drivers over the river.
The Missouri and Kansas departments of transportation have provided details of the closures and delays that commuters can expect in the coming months.
Here’s what to know when commuting between the Northland and downtown Kansas City.
How do I get from the Northland to the Missouri side of Kansas City?
There are three main bridges connecting downtown Kansas City to the area north of the Missouri River:
The Buck O’Neil Bridge along U.S. Route 169 has been under construction since 2021, and crews have closed the northbound left lane just north of the river.
According to the Missouri Department of Transportation’s work schedule, the lane is expected to reopen by Friday, Nov. 3 — although department spokesperson Brooke Rohlfing said that this timeline might extend by a day or two depending on the weather.
The Bond Bridge along US Highway 71 / Interstate 29 experienced a lane closure on Tuesday, Oct. 17 for drain cleaning following a prior construction project. The road was restored to normal operations the same day, and no more road work is expected around the bridge in the near future.
The Heart of America Bridge along Missouri Route 9 connects Columbus Park and the River Market area to North Kansas City. No construction is planned on this bridge. While you might notice road work taking place on other highways nearby, the Heart of America Bridge will remain at full capacity, Rohlfing said.
Farther to the east, three more bridges cross the Missouri River to connect Northland based drivers to the rest of the city. Rohlfing said that none of these bridges have current or future planned maintenance:
The Interstate 435 Bridge in Randolph, Missouri
The Chouteau Bridge along North Chouteau Trafficway in the East Bottoms
The Liberty Bend Bridge along Missouri Route 291 in Sugar Creek, Missouri
How do I get from the Northland to Kansas City, Kansas?
There are three bridges connecting Kansas City, Kansas, to the Northland:
The Missouri River Bridge along Interstate 635 and the Fairfax Bridge along U.S. Route 69 both cross the Missouri river in northern Kansas City, Kansas.
While Kansas Department of Transportation spokesperson Delaney Tholen said that neither of these bridges has any planned closures, a nearby closure on either side of a railroad bridge may impact Northland commuters.
The section of Route 5 in northern Kansas City, Kansas, between Sunshine Road and North 18th Street is closed in both directions for an ongoing project. That may cause drivers heading towards either bridge to be rerouted or encounter delays.
Slightly farther west is the I-435 Bridge in Kansas City, Kansas. While Tholen said there is maintenance work planned along I-435 in the next few years, this bridge has no upcoming closures in the near future.
How can I check the roads for closures or delays?
There are several resources available to drivers that allow them to see closures and delays in real time.
Kandrive.gov is a live online map of highways in the metro showing road and lane closures, construction work, accidents and even traffic speeds. Select the “Planned Construction” box to see future road work along your commute.
Another helpful resource for drivers is called Kansas City Scout, found at kcscout.net. This online traffic map features live traffic camera feeds from the Missouri and Kansas departments of transportation. Select “Cameras” in the map legend to see where you can watch the road in real time.
The Missouri Department of Transportation also maintains an online map of current and future road work across the state, and the Kansas Department of Transportation issues daily news releases about delays and closures in the metro.
Do you have more questions about transportation in Missouri or Kansas? Ask the Service Journalism team at kcq@kcstar.com.
