Sumner Newscow report – The U.S. 160 viaduct bridge, adjacently west of the U.S. 81/160 interchange in Wellington, appears to be crumbling more by the day. But the office of the Kansas Department of Transportation says the situation if safe for motorists if slightly inconvenient.

The following is a statement issued this afternoon through Tim Potter, KDOT Public Affairs Manager concerning the condition of the bridge and what is being done to rectify the problem.

“This is regarding the damage on the bridge at the U.S. 160/81 junction at Wellington:

This bridge has a separate surface layer that is part of the original construction. That surface layer has debonded from the concrete surface underneath and has broken up. The center two lanes experienced the worst of the breaking-up, which is why it is closed. KDOT has requested bids from bridge contractors to repair this.

The fix will include removing the portion of the overlay that has become debonded and replacing it with a new thin layer of concrete. We expect that the work may begin as soon as June 9 and that it will take about six weeks to complete. During the work, there should be one lane open in each direction.

Once this work is completed, it will be opened up to full traffic. In the meantime, before the contractor is selected and can start, the bridge surface could continue to crack and break up. Any damage that happens in the open lanes of traffic will be monitored and patched.

Is the bridge safe to drive on?

-Yes. The break-ups that we see only affect the thin surface of the bridge. The underside has been inspected and is structurally sound.

What should motorists know about driving on the bridge?

–Be mindful of the merge and be alert for workers.”

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