Lewis and Clark Viaduct

Lewis and Clark Viaduct
Intercity and Lewis and Clark Viaducts. Intercity Viaduct is left, Lewis and Clark Viaduct is right.
Coordinates	39.1133°N 94.6149°W / 39.1133; -94.6149
Carries	7 lanes of I-70 / US 24 / US 40 / US 169 (3 westbound, 4 eastbound); bike/pedestrian path
Crosses	Kansas River
Locale	Kansas City, Kansas–Kansas City, Missouri
Official name	Lewis and Clark Viaduct
Maintained by	KDOT and MoDOT
Characteristics
Design	Deck truss
Width	52 ft (15.8 m)
Longest span	3,777 ft (1,151.1 m)
Clearance above	29 ft (8.8 m)
History
Opened	1907 (1907) (eastbound) 1930 (lower deck) 1962 (original westbound) 2021 (replacement westbound)
Statistics
Daily traffic	23,500
Location

The Intercity Viaduct (officially the Lewis and Clark Viaduct since 1969) is an automobile and pedestrian crossing of the Kansas River in the United States. Designed by Waddell and Hedrick, this four lane, two level deck truss bridge opened to the public on January 29, 1907. It rises above the West Bottoms, and several sets of railroad tracks. It was the first roadway bridge to connect Kansas City, Missouri, with Kansas City, Kansas, non-stop all the way across. It is about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) long and carries eastbound traffic for Interstate 70 (I-70)/U.S. Route 24 (US 24)/US 40/US 169, while its sister bridge, the Lewis and Clark Viaduct, built in 1962, carries westbound traffic.

The eastbound lanes were built as the Intercity Viaduct, carrying both east and west lanes, but renamed the Lewis and Clark Viaduct on January 25, 1969, taking the name of its sister bridge that would now carry the westbound lanes, built in 1962 to the north.

History

The Intercity Viaduct in 1908, streetcar tracks in view at right. Lewis and Clark Viaduct not yet built

Designed by the engineering firm Waddell and Hedrick in 1903, the viaduct followed a flood that same year that wiped out all but one of the 17 bridges that spanned the Kaw River. Ground was broken to mark the building of the bridge in 1905. In 1907, the Bridge opened to two lanes of toll traffic, with streetcar tracks. In 1908, the Bridge survived a 1908 flood.

In 1911, the Bank foreclosed the bridge as the tolls did not cover the bridge's cost.

After 6 year of disuse, Kansas City, Kansas, and Kansas City, Missouri co purchased the viaduct in 1917. In 1918, a ribbon cutting ceremony held to open the bridge to free traffic under city control and ownership.

In 1930, the roadway was expanded with a two laned lower level.

In 1936, the Streetcar rails were removed, and the upper level had its capacity doubled to four lanes.

In 1951, the bridge survived the 1951 Kansas City flood, the only bridge to remain open to traffic during the flood.

In 1962, The Lewis and Clark Viaduct is built to the north, at which point the eastbound span was extensively renovated, as all of its old steel piers were tubed off, and it was coated with concrete. Around this time I-70 was routed over the eastbound bridge.

In 1969, the eastbound Bridge was officially renamed the Lewis and Clark Viaduct after its newer sister bridge.

In 1984, the westbound bridge was rehabilitated.

In 1993, the Bridge survived the 1993 Kansas City flood.

From 1999 until 2000, the Lower level of the eastbound bridge was rehabilitated and converted as use for pedestrians and bicyclists.

In 2007, the eastbound bridge turned 100 years old, and several people gathered from West Bottoms on the same day it opened in 1907, holding lights to the bridge in honor of its 100 years of service.

In 2018, the westbound side of bridge was demolished and reconstructed over the Kansas River, and was opened in 2021 It was delayed due to the flooding in 2019. Eastbound side has since been closed for demolition and reconstruction.

See also

• Transport portal
• Engineering portal
• Kansas portal
• United States portal