The pedestrian bridge is now in place and all K-61 Highway lanes are open.

The northbound lanes were closed at 9 a-m Friday between 17th and 30th so they could again attempt to assemble and set the K-61 pedestrian bridge in place.

They meant to complete that work on Thursday, but due to a problem with the alignment of the connections on the three bridge sections as they were being assembled, the bridge was not installed. But, they did get the job done on Friday.

The southbound lanes of the highway in the area just south of 30 th were closed for a short period of time while the bridge was lifted in place.

While the main pedestrian bridge was put in place Friday, the ramps allowing people to access the bridge from ground level will not be in place, so the bridge will not be usable until a later date, when the ramps will be installed.

It should be noted that progress in laying the concrete on the northbound lanes of the highway north of Medora to the McPherson County line continues, and K-DOT officials have told us in the past that this portion of the highway should be open later this month.

They tore our the old portion of the original K-61 highway once the re-building of the 30th & K-61 intersection was complete. Once that opens, the entire length of the highway will be complete from 17th Street in Hutchinson to I-135 near McPherson.

K-61 has been four-lane from the Reno-McPherson county line all the way to I-135 for sometime now, but the work from Hutchinson to county line took more time because of the new alignment of the highway and the building of all the bridges and over-passes that had to be completed. That work is done, and the freeway portion of the highway from Hutchinson to just north of Medora is open with all four-lanes.