The impetus of the $26.3 million Wichita North Junction I-135 Flyover project is to ease traffic congestion in the growing Wichita area; home to over 396,000 people. The original single-lane loop ramp connecting two interstates caused significant backups and frequent crashes as traffic volume increased alongside the area’s population growth. Positioned at the meeting point of two interstates and a state highway, this flyover is vital for regional, state, and national highway travel. The project aimed to reduce traffic congestion, improve mobility and safety, and support economic growth. Replacing the one-lane ramp with a two-lane flyover alleviated rush-hour bottlenecks and should ease traffic flow through 2050. The improvements also cut vehicle delays by four hours per month and minimized disruptions for the next phase of construction. Crash rates for the interchange originally exceeded the statewide average, with 78 percent of those crashes associated with traffic congestion. The new ramp improves traveler mobility, reducing existing congestion and crashes that resulted in unreliable travel times for commuters, the trucking industry, and other drivers.
America's Transportation Awards 