‘It’s deteriorating’: Looming concerns for drivers after 4-foot hole found in Gardner bridge

GARDNER, Kan. (KCTV) - A 4-foot hole was found in the South Gardner Bridge over I-35 on Monday. Residents and visitors now are saying this bridge needs to be repaired sooner rather than later due to safety concerns.

“I definitely felt it when I hit it yesterday. I didn’t notice it was there until I drove over it,” said Gardner resident, Tanya Wilson.

The bridge is located at South Gardner Road and I-35, it is one of two easy ways for residents and visitors to access the Interstate to Kansas City or Wichita.

It was built in 1959 and has received some repairs over the years. This is a project by KDOT not the City of Gardner.

“It’s been pretty rough for a few years now,” said Dallas Talley, who works in Gardner.

Drivers said this is a high-traffic bridge.

“Especially in the last several years with the truck stop being in and the intermodal growing it has definitely deteriorated rather quickly. And with this side of town developing so quickly, we have significantly more traffic than what we used to have,” said Gardner resident, Michelle Dawdy McKain.

Cars, semis, and school buses are constantly on this bridge.

“School busses driving over it 2-3 times a day and the commuters trying to get over it it just isn’t as safe as it used to be,” said Dawdy McKain.

On Monday morning, Dawdy McKain was heading to work when she saw the large hole in the bridge.

She said an officer and another man were blocking the lane.

“They were both looking down with flashlights in the hole and you could just see straight down to I-35,” said Dawdy McKain. She added, “It seems like common sense that a four-foot hole in the bridge means that it is not very structurally sound.”

With all the potholes, patches, and now steel plate over the 4′ hole, many want to know when will this be repaired.

“Whenever there are too many people over it I usually try to stay back at the light and let them because I’d rather not have it collapse,” said Talley.

A spokesperson for KDOT tells KCTV5 they do not have concerns that this bridge will collapse.

Originally, the bridge was set to be repaired about three years ago, but that repair has been delayed. KDOT said the project is set for letting in June 2025. It shared the letting was moved to have additional engineering design work finished that was necessary for the project development.

Some feel it needs to be fixed sooner, rather than later.

“I’m sure they could at least repave the bridge for a little bit and I know that would probably add on to the budget but it is better and safer than rather letting it rot,” said Talley.

KDOT said it was last inspected in July 2024 and it regularly monitors bridges to ensure conditions are safe.

KDOT plans to hold a public meeting before the project work of reconstructing the bridge to get input.

With Gardner’s growing population and development on this side of town, residents are hopeful the new bridge can grow with it.

“It is gonna keep growing, unfortunately even if we want it to stay a small town, so we need more lanes, something wider, the off-ramps need to have at least two lanes for people who are going to turn left and right,” said Dawdy McKain.

Drivers also said they hope something bad doesn’t happen while the bridge awaits repairs. They want to see this as a priority for those who can fix it.

“Just feeling like our concerns are being taken seriously and seeing that happen by our city, or KDOT, or things that we are paying for,” said Dawdy McKain.

Some drivers said they are using other ways to get on the highway to avoid driving on this bridge.

Dawdy McKain encourages other residents to reach out to city and state leaders attempt to get something done sooner.

KDOT said once maintenance repairs are scheduled this will be noted in the Johnson County: Short-term Closures of the KC Metro KDOT updates found here.

KDOT expects the bridge and interchange to be reconstructed with realignment of 191st Street at I-35. The existing bridge will remain in use as the new bridge is built but will close briefly to tie the new bridge to Gardner Road.

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