A lot of orange cones are coming to west Emporia this spring and summer.
One major project is getting started, while two others are coming soon — and City Engineer Jim Ubert spent time on KVOE’s Morning Show on Monday to discuss the Interstate 35 bridge replacement over Lincoln Street, the 24th and Prairie waterline replacement project and KDOT work to resurface part of West Highway 50.
Work on the I-35 bridge, a better than $4 million project, is just getting started. The project is closing Lincoln Street at the bridge for the duration of the project, possibly through August 2025, and there are also temporary crossover lanes in effect between northbound and southbound I-35.
Overlapping that project soon will be the 24th and Prairie project — which begins near 24th and Industrial, near the Water Treatment Plant and Hobby Lobby.
Given the magnitude of this project, Ubert admits it will be “very inconvenient” for residents using the affected streets, but he also says 24th and Prairie will not be closed simultaneously.
On top of those projects, KDOT will repave US-50 between Graphic Arts and Prairie. The mill, overlay and restriping project could start as soon as April 8 and go about five weeks.
