Traffic should start flowing on U.S. 166 east of Baxter Springs today.

According to the Kansas Department of Transportation, traffic will be switched on to the U.S. 166/400 realignment and expansion project today in Cherokee County. Two-way traffic will be placed on the new eastbound lanes of the road between Baxter Springs and the Kansas-Missouri border. In conjunction with the opening of U.S. 166, the existing U.S. 166 and K-26 junction will be closed to traffic. The signed detour for northbound K-26 will follow the new alignment of 166 west to Baxter Springs, then continue north on U.S. 69A to K-66 and east on K-66 to Galena. Southbound K-26 traffic should take the same route in the opposite direction. KDOT is in the process of expanding U.S. 166/400 to four lanes and constructing two interchanges from U.S. 400 southeast to the Kansas-Missouri state line.