The holding pattern is almost over.

The ramp for traffic heading east on Interstate 70 to turn north onto Interstate 435 — the popular route for drivers heading from Lawrence to Kansas City International Airport — is scheduled to reopen to traffic by 4 p.m. today, the Kansas Department of Transportation said.

The ramp, closed as part of a repaving project that began in early July, had been scheduled to reopen Monday morning. But that plan was grounded because the project’s contractor had been unable to finish work on schedule, said Kimberly Qualls, a KDOT spokeswoman.

“One of the steps didn’t happen in time,” she said.

The project also has blocked one lane of I-70 for traffic heading east, from 110th to 94th streets in Wyandotte County. Access to both lanes also should be restored by 4 p.m. today, Qualls said.