Part of I-70 to close for a week in northwest Kansas

WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) - A portion of I-70 will close at midnight on Tuesday for a full week while crews remove an old bridge.

The Kansas Department of Transportation is set to take down the old bridge at exit 157, which goes over I-70 west of Hays. KDOT built a new bridge for the US 183 bypass.

Starting Tuesday, a detour will take drivers off I-70 at exit 157, and then they will merge back on. KDOT plans to take down the stop signs that currently sit at the top of the exit.

“Where you would expect to see the stop sign, we will have that removed or taken down,” explained Kevin Zimmer, an engineer with KDOT. “So that it’s just a free-flowing slowly, moving single line.”

KDOT said drivers will not be able to cross I-70 on the 183 bypass. Drivers will also not be able to turn right or left onto the bypass from I-70.