The bridge was closed Aug. 16 after City bridge inspectors discovered structural concerns. The repair work is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, Sept. 4, and will take an estimated two months to complete. Estimated cost of repairs is $500,000, although actual costs could vary depending on further analysis of the structure once work begins.

The 800-foot long Broadway Bridge is located approximately halfway between MacArthur and 31st Street South. The four-lane bridge carries about 14,000 vehicles a day over the Union Pacific railroad tracks.

“I am aware this caused a diversity of inconvenience to this community,” said Third District City Council Member Jim Skelton. “It is welcome news that the City is taking action to alleviate the impact neighborhoods, businesses, school districts and motorists.”

Once completed, the emergency repairs will allow the bridge to be reopened until it ultimately has to be closed again for complete replacement. The planned repairs include the removal and replacement of the south three-deck spans, the repair of the concrete and exposed steel on the underside of the deck and any other repairs deemed necessary.

Once repairs are complete, the city's inspection team will evaluate the structure to determine whether any traffic restrictions are necessary. Such restrictions could include weight limits and whether traffic needs to be limited to two lanes.

“It is important for the public to understand this 70-year-old concrete bridge is totally different from the one that failed in Minneapolis,” noted Chris Carrier, Director of Public Works. “This bridge has relatively short spans and more reinforcing steel in the deck than you would normally expect to find. Under the worst of circumstances, we would not expect a sudden and complete failure.”

The repairs project announced today should allow the bridge to be reopened to traffic for three to five years. The city and its inspection team will continue to monitor the bridge condition once it is reopened.

The city is also beginning the process to design a new bridge. The process will take several years to complete and needs to be coordinated with the Union Pacific Railroad.

Replacement of the bridge will take an estimated 14 months.

“The City of Wichita would like to thank its bridge inspection team, Professional Engineering Consultants, the Union Pacific Railroad and MKEC Engineering Consultants for putting in some long hours to help us make these important decisions for the citizens of Wichita,” Carrier said. “ Without their hard work, this would not have been possible.”

Back to Top