The Kansas Department of Transportation says the intersection reconstruction work is part of the US-77 Big Blue River bridge replacement project.

from the city of Frankfort to the US-77 junction to all through traffic.

Beginning Monday afternoon at 4 o’clock through early September, eastbound and westbound K-9 will be closed

Access will be maintained for local traffic only on the closed portion of K-9. A 48-mile marked detour on state highways will be provided.

Drivers must use alternate routes during the roadway closure.

In early August of last year, the bridge replacement project began on US-77 over the Big Blue River located one-half mile east of the city of Blue Rapids.

The new bridge and realigned US-77 roadway are being built just east of the existing bridge and highway, along with the portion of K-9 that will be realigned to tie into the new roadway.

The new US-77 bridge will be 40-foot wide, with two 12-foot lanes and 8-foot shoulders, providing more room for today’s wider vehicles and it will have shorter bridge railings as well. In addition, project work includes a deceleration lane for northbound drivers turning east onto K-9 and an acceleration lane for eastbound drivers on K-9 turning north onto US-77.

United Contractors Inc. of Johnston, Iowa is the primary contractor on the bridge replacement project with a total contract cost of nearly $7.6 million.

The new US-77 bridge is scheduled to open to all traffic in mid-September.

The old bridge is scheduled to be demolished in November.

Overall project work is scheduled to be completed in late December, weather permitting.