This Popular Midwest Highway Is Temporarily Closing In 2026, Leaving Drivers With Fewer Options

Interstate 70 isn't any old highway; it's the fifth-longest interstate in the United States, stretching 2,153 miles between Maryland and Utah. The route connects a dozen major cities, including Denver, St. Louis, and Baltimore. Near the midpoint of this cross-country route is Topeka, the capital of Kansas and home to about 125,000 residents. Running directly through the city, I-70 serves as a key route for both local traffic and cross-country travelers — and that will soon become a problem.

Just north of downtown Topeka stands the Polk-Quincy Viaduct, an elevated highway that curves around the city. Since its completion in the late 1950s, the viaduct's structure has gradually decayed. Meanwhile, the two-lane motorway requires more lanes to support rush-hour traffic. The solution: reconfigure the viaduct and rebuild a large segment of it from scratch. The new alignment will stand slightly north of the current roadway, and it will support six lanes of traffic.

This is no small undertaking; the new viaduct is expected to open in the winter of 2026, and the full cost is projected to be $239 million. The viaduct will be closed entirely in the summer, and drivers will have to take detours around construction for several months. If you're planning a road trip through the underrated flyover state of Kansas, you should expect delays through Topeka, possibly through the end of the year.

Even a major route like I-70 isn't without its interruptions, and the Polk-Quincy Viaduct is one to watch. Thankfully, getting around it is fairly straightforward. The "established detour" will take you along Interstate 470, which makes a crescent around Topeka's southern suburbs. Cross-country travelers may not notice much of a difference — by taking I-470, you can bypass the closure and rejoin I-70 with only minimal added travel time.

The viaduct is an important thoroughfare, but there are plenty of alternatives, especially for travelers with time to spare. U.S. Route 24 runs parallel to I-70 but bypasses Topeka completely, running just north of town. Even if you just drove through Topeka itself, you could take surface streets across all of Topeka in about 30 minutes.

Or you could just hang out for a while. Topeka is about an hour down the highway from Kansas City, and it makes a natural place to stretch, grab a bite to eat, and maybe even stay the night. While many people overlook Topeka, this Midwest capital city has a low cost of living and is one of the best places to retire — its bite-sized downtown has a handful of restaurants and hotels. Under normal circumstances, Kansas is also a great place to drive, as this underappreciated state beat out all others for the best driving conditions in 2025.