photo by: City of Lawrence

A preliminary diagram shows plans for improvements to the Sixth Street and K-10 interchange project.

The Kansas Department of Transportation has delayed the temporary closure of Sixth Street west of Kansas Highway 10 for its ongoing diverging diamond interchange project, citing “unexpected utility relocation setbacks.”

KDOT announced the delay in a news release Wednesday. The closure was previously supposed to take effect this summer and to last about 100 calendar days, but it will now be postponed until next spring, conditions permitting.

As the Journal-World reported, KDOT’s $14 million project to construct Lawrence’s first diverging diamond interchange began in July and should be completed by as early as the end of 2024.

Although the closure has been pushed back, KDOT says the project will remain an active work zone as work continues in areas not affected by the utility setbacks. According to the release, traffic impacts should be minimal through the end of this construction season.

The full interchange closure slated for the project’s third phase, which will be when KDOT reconfigures ramp tie-ins at Sixth Street and K-10 to create the diverging diamond layout, is still expected to occur in summer of 2024.

The type of interchange being completed as part of the project crosses two directions of traffic from the nonfreeway road to the opposite side on both sides of the bridge at the freeway, requiring traffic on the freeway overpass or underpass to briefly drive on the opposite side of the road from what is customary.