U.S. 69 work keeps a major Kansas City, Kansas corridor under construction

Kansas City, Kansas drivers face two separate U.S. 69 work zones on Aug. 5, 2026: a temporary lane shift on Metcalf Avenue and a full closure of the U.S. 69/18th Street corridor tied to a bridge replacement expected to continue into fall 2027.

Metcalf Avenue traffic is shifted between West 61st and West 56th streets

Kansas Department of Transportation’s Kansas City metro update, last updated July 30, lists ongoing northbound U.S. 69 work on Metcalf Avenue from West 61st Street to West 56th Street.

Within that work zone, northbound traffic is shifted into the southbound U.S. 69 lanes. KDOT lists the restriction from June 1 through Aug. 28, 2026, while noting that work-zone traffic controls can change as construction progresses.

There is also no access from Metcalf Avenue to Martway Street/58th Street at the listed location. The restriction matters to people using the corridor for daily commutes, work trips, deliveries and access to nearby businesses.

18th Street remains a separate full closure

In Kansas City, Kansas, northbound and southbound U.S. 69, also known as 18th Street, are fully closed between Kansas Avenue and Ruby Avenue.

The U.S. 69/18th Street/Kansas Avenue entrance and exit ramps are closed. The U.S. 69/18th Street/Ruby Avenue entrance and exit ramps are also closed. KDOT says marked detours are in place.

The closure is part of the U.S. 69/18th Street Bridge replacement project over the Kansas River and BNSF rail yard. The broader work includes roadway improvements within the closure limits and rehabilitation of bridges over Ruby Avenue, Metropolitan Avenue, Osage Avenue and the Kansas City Terminal/Canadian Pacific Kansas City railway.

Aug. 28 is not the bridge project’s completion date

The two timelines apply to different work zones. Aug. 28, 2026, is the end date listed for the Metcalf Avenue lane-shift notice. It does not mark the end of the 18th Street bridge project.

KDOT says the bridge replacement project is expected to be completed in fall 2027. The agency’s project information describes a continuing closure of the 18th Street crossing during construction, with marked detours directing traffic around the work zone.

What drivers should do

Commuters, workers, freight operators and nearby businesses should follow marked detours and check current traffic conditions through KDOT’s KanDrive service before traveling. The configuration and restrictions may change as construction advances.

For now, northbound Metcalf Avenue traffic remains shifted between West 61st and West 56th streets, while the U.S. 69/18th Street crossing remains a longer-term construction closure expected to continue into fall 2027.

Sources

• Kansas Department of Transportation — KC Metro Updates