BELTON, Mo. - Work to reconstruct the Route 71 interchange at 163^rd Street will be delayed at least a month after the contractor encountered unanticipated problems with the underlying rock where key bridge foundations must go.

MoDOT and Belton had planned to shift Route 71 traffic onto the new bridges and re-open 163^rd Street to through traffic by the end of June.  However, design changes necessary to ensure sound bridge footings have required Ideker Construction, the contractor, to order new material and perform additional work. Those factors are delaying construction by about four weeks. The new target date to reopen 163^rd Street has now moved to the end of July or early August. If dry weather prevails and no further delays occur, Ideker hopes to beat that target.

Last fall, Missouri Department of Transportation, the City of Belton and Ideker Construction Co. planned construction to keep two lanes of Route 71 open in each direction during the project. That plan is speeding up the work, and also is providing the 80,000 motorists who travel South 71 Highway less traffic congestion during their daily commute.

MoDOT cautions motorists to slow down and stay alert in this work zone, which coupled with projects to the north and south (Route 150 interchange and the new North Cass Parkway interchange) on the Route 71 corridor, create a challenge for commuters.

When completed, the replacement of the 163^rd Street interchange on Route 71 will significantly improve access to and from Belton and Raymore, relieving traffic backups at the Route 58 interchange. The North Cass Parkway interchange now under construction at about 187^th Street and Route 71 will also improve access to these communities and to Peculiar by adding a new option. Both projects are expected to be completed by fall 2010 or sooner.

For more information about other projects in the area, please visit MoDOT's Web site at www.modot.mo.gov/kansascity.