photo by: Kansas Department of Transportation

The North and South Project areas for the K-10/South Lawrence Trafficway expansion project.

More traffic disruptions on the South Lawrence Trafficway are coming — with one slated to last a couple of months and another set to last a couple of years.

In a pair of announcements, the Kansas Department of Transportation is alerting motorists that a key westbound entrance ramp onto the SLT will temporarily close this week, and also is telling drivers to expect major construction work to begin on the northern section of the project where the SLT intersects with the Kansas Turnpike.

The first project to likely impact motorists will be the ramp closure. KDOT announced on Monday that the U.S. 59/Iowa Street on-ramp to westbound K-10 will be temporarily closed, beginning Wednesday at 9 a.m. The ramp will be closed until late November, conditions permitting, while crews are replacing concrete panels in the roadway.

During the closure, motorists can access westbound K-10 by following the marked detour on W. 31st St. and Haskell Ave. or another alternate route.

The bigger and longer-lasting project will be the work that takes place near the Kansas Turnpike. The Kansas Department of Transportation has awarded the last big contract for the remaining work on the K-10 Highway/South Lawrence Trafficway expansion project.

The $104.7 million contract was awarded to Bettis Asphalt & Construction Inc. of Topeka, according to a press release from KDOT. The construction will include expanding K-10 into a four-lane freeway from U.S. 40/6th St. to North 1800 Road, also known as the Farmer’s Turnpike. The existing I-70/Kansas Turnpike Authority interchange will also be reconfigured with new on- and off-ramps that will enhance connectivity, traffic flow and safety.

The K-10/South Lawrence Trafficway project is an initiative to widen the west leg of the trafficway from two to four lanes across 9 miles, as the Journal-World reported. The goal is to improve safety and mobility within the corridor and surrounding highway system, including alleviating strain on the City of Lawrence street network.

photo by: Kansas Department of Transportation

A map of the the North Project’s improvements for the K-10/South Lawrence Trafficway expansion project.

The expansion was split into two segments – the North and South projects, both expected to reach completion by the end of 2028, conditions permitting.

The construction for the North Project is scheduled to begin its “initial” work next month, the release said, and the public may notice minimal work being done in the area. The greater impacts of the construction is slated to begin in early 2027.

A spokesperson for KDOT said via email that construction work and traffic impacts on the North Project will be similar to those on the South Project, with reduced speeds, lane shifts and ramp closures expected to occur. Traffic impact information will be provided in advance.

The South Project, costing $171 million, has been under active construction since 2024, and its segment extends from U.S. 40/6th St. south and east to U.S. 59/Iowa St.

The improvements for the South Project include rebuilding the Wakarusa Drive/27th Street intersection into a grade-separated interchange to remove traffic signals. It also introduces new roundabouts at Clinton Parkway and folds diamond ramps alongside a pedestrian/bike bridge at the U.S. 59/Iowa Street interchange.