Medium Cost Solution 1: 20th Street Ramps (Rank this option now)

Ramps in urban areas are often too close together and tend to be shorter than current standards would require.  When ramps are too short, there is no room for acceleration, so cars enter the highway at slow speeds. Click image to review solution details.

• This solution would increase the distance between Southwest Trafficway/Broadway and the next interchange to the north by relocating the West Pennway ramps to 20th St. 
• A new exit ramp from I-35 northbound and a new entrance ramp to I-35 southbound would be constructed. 
• These new ramps would give drivers from Southwest Trafficway/Broadway more distance to merge with I-35 northbound and get into the correct lane. 
• Southbound commuters would also have more ramp length for acceleration before merging with I-35 southbound. 

This solution could be impactful to portions of the residential block between 20th and 21st Streets on the west side of the interstate and the fire station.  MoDOT strives to minimize impacts, but exact information would require more detailed design.  

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Medium Cost Solution 2: 27th Street Access (Rank this option now)

The most direct access to and from the Crown Center, Hospital Hill or Crossroads areas from Kansas is via West Pennway, but the exit ramp from I-35 northbound is too close to the Southwest Trafficway/Broadway entrance ramp.  During rush hour, the lanes between Southwest Trafficway and West Pennway become congested making merging and lane changes difficult. Click image to review details.

• This solution would build a modified half diamond interchange at 27th Street to provide an alternative to West Pennway. 
• The new interchange would include an exit ramp from northbound I-35 and an entrance ramp to southbound I-35.  Because the right-of-way in this area is limited, the new ramp from I-35 northbound would exit to the left.
• The new entrance ramp to I-35 southbound would enter from the right and provide drivers more length for acceleration before merging into traffic. 

This solution should not have a significant right-of-way impact.  However, there may be some easements required to construct the I-35 southbound entrance ramp.  More detailed design is necessary to precisely determine if any properties will be impacted.

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Medium Cost Solution 3: Tunnel (Rank this option now)

As presented in other solutions, improving traffic flow between closely spaced interchanges can be achieved by separating the ramps. Click image to review details.  

• This solution would separate Southwest Trafficway from Broadway to provide more distance for merging into highway traffic. 
• A section of Southwest Trafficway would be reconstructed. 
• Traffic entering the interstate from Southwest Trafficway would merge into a single lane, and then the ramp would go through a tunnel and merge with I-35 traffic. 
• The existing northbound ramp would be removed and the 27th Street intersection at Penn Valley Drive and Broadway would need to be adjusted to allow local traffic to make a left turn onto the existing Broadway entrance ramp.    

This solution would shift Southwest Trafficway to the east slightly, which would impact Penn Valley Park. 

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