KANSAS CITY, Mo. - At a ribbon-cutting ceremony held today on the new, Christopher S. Bond Bridge, Sen. Kit Bond and Missouri Department of Transportation Interim Director Kevin Keith announced that all Interstate 29/35 lanes and ramps on the kcICON Project will be open by the end of the year - six months ahead of schedule.

The contractor, Paseo Corridor Constructors, will complete cross street work, incidental construction and the removal of the Paseo Bridge in 2011.

Thanking the nearly 700 event attendees, Keith stated MoDOT's design-build method of project delivery is a great way to accelerate large construction projects. "Our fixed-cost, best-value approach gives taxpayers the biggest bang for their buck while maximizing the innovation and creativity of the private sector."

The $245 million kcICON project will reconstruct/rehabilitate 4.7 miles of Interstate 29/35 from just north of Route 210/Armour Road in North Kansas City into the northeast corner of the downtown Kansas City, Mo. freeway loop. The project includes improving outdated interchanges and the construction of the Christopher S. Bond Bridge - a new landmark, cable-stay Missouri River bridge.

Paseo Corridor Constructors is a joint-venture partnership of Clarkson Construction Company, Massman Construction Co. and Kiewit Construction Co. The project was designed by Parsons and TranSystems.

Additional information is available on the project's Web site: www.kcicon.com or by searching "kcICON Project" on facebook.com.