When was the last time a trip north on 135th from Central went all the way to 13th without a detour? For most of 2026 it hasn't been possible. Rainbow Lakes sits at the south end of that closure and has seen the whole corridor change around it.
As of the City of Wichita's construction bulletin for October 2 to 9, 2026, 135th Street is closed to all traffic midway between Central and 13th Street, at Lost Creek Circle. The City says the closure will stay in place "until late 2026." The full reconstruction is expected to finish in the third quarter of 2027. When it's done, the stretch of road along the neighborhood's western edge will have a center turn lane, a multi-use path and a sidewalk.
A 1970s Neighborhood That Became the Middle
The plat records explain why this matters. Sedgwick County's plat index lists Rainbow Lake Estates Addition, recorded November 1, 1972, followed by Rainbow Lakes West 2nd Addition in December 1977, Rainbow Lakes West 4th Addition in December 1979, and Rainbow Lakes West 3rd Addition in January 1980. The county's plat search shows the original plat drawings for each one.
The City of Wichita didn't annex the area until July 23, 1998. Sedgwick County proceedings from November 2003 describe the Rainbow Lakes Addition as located "north and south of Central on the east side of 135th Street West."
So for its first twenty-five years or so, Rainbow Lakes sat at the edge. Three changes in 2026 are rebuilding everything around it:
- the road along its west side
- the open ground to its north
- the shopping corner to its south
The road comes first, because it affects every trip right now.
How the Closure Splits Trips North and South
Rainbow Lakes sits on both sides of Central, and Central is the southern end of the construction zone. That shapes every trip out of the neighborhood. The project covers 135th Street West from Central to 13th Street North and nothing south of Central.
The City's bulletin spells out how traffic moves for now:
- Two-way traffic is kept on 135th north and south of the closure point, so the blocks between Central and Lost Creek Circle can still be reached from Central.
- Through traffic is detoured to 119th Street using Central and 13th Street.
- The City's project notice says more temporary full closures will come later, when crews install storm sewer pipe crossings.
- Between closures, the original plan runs 135th one lane northbound only, with southbound traffic sent to 119th at 13th Street.
For a Rainbow Lakes household, that means a trip north to 13th and 135th is about two miles longer than it used to be. You go east on Central, north on 119th and back west on 13th. A trip south to Maple is unchanged, because 135th below Central isn't part of the project.
The City's notice also says that "access into neighborhoods will be maintained during construction either through the use of alternate side streets or by phasing of construction activity." Driveways within the project limits will be rebuilt, and electronic message signs are supposed to warn drivers before each closure.
Why "Fall" Became "Late"
The full closure began in June. The City's public meeting notice said that "beginning in June, 135th Street will close to all traffic to allow for the installation of several storm sewer structures." Since then, the expected end date has shifted in the City's weekly bulletins:
| City bulletin week | How the closure was described | Estimated project completion |
|---|---|---|
| June 29 to July 3, 2026 | Closed midway between Central and 13th "until fall 2026" | 3rd quarter 2027 |
| July 10 to 17, 2026 | Until fall 2026 | 3rd quarter 2027 |
| August 14 to 21, 2026 | Until fall 2026 | 3rd quarter 2027 |
| October 2 to 9, 2026 | Closed at Lost Creek Circle "until late 2026" | 3rd quarter 2027 |
The City hasn't issued a formal notice that the schedule slipped. All that changed is the wording, from "fall" to "late." The completion estimate for the whole project has stayed at the third quarter of 2027 every week. The City's notice warns that "these dates are dependent on weather conditions and the potential for delays if unforeseen utility conflicts are encountered."
You can check any day's status on the City's interactive construction and street closure map, which is linked from each weekly bulletin.
What the Rebuilt Road Adds Along the Neighborhood's Edge
Once the work is done, the road will be shaped differently. The City has hired Pearson Construction to rebuild 135th from Central to 13th with:
- one through lane in each direction
- a center two-way left-turn lane
- a 10-foot-wide multi-use path on the west side
- a 6-foot-wide sidewalk on the east side
- drainage improvements along the full length
KSN covered the plan on June 8, 2026, ahead of a public information meeting that evening at Wichita Fire Station 21, 2110 N. 135th Street West. KSN's report described the project as a rebuild with drainage and sidewalk improvements.
The east-side sidewalk is the change closest to Rainbow Lakes, since the neighborhood sits on the east side of 135th. The 10-foot path will run along the opposite side of the road. City records don't yet show where that path will connect to a named trail, so for now it's a mile-long walking and biking route between Central and 13th.
The 305 Lots Taking Shape Next Door
The second change is directly north of Central, along the same side of 135th. In July 2023, the Metropolitan Area Planning Commission's subdivision committee reviewed a preliminary plat for Bridger at Central Addition. It covers 152 acres at the northeast corner of West Central Avenue and North 135th Street West and lays out 305 residential lots with a minimum lot size of 7,200 square feet.
The staff report's street review lists connections at Cindy and Rainbow Lake and at Limuel and Rainbow Lake. Rainbow Lake, the street name that already runs through the older neighborhood, will continue into the new one. The builder markets part of the development as Crescent Creek, with homes along N. Rainbow Lake Street in the 700 and 800 blocks.
City staff also noted that the Wichita Bicycle Master Plan shows a shared-use path through the Bridger at Central property, and asked for a public-access easement for it. That path and the new 10-foot path on 135th will be on opposite sides of the road. The documents don't say whether the two will ever connect.
The development is still moving forward. On September 8, 2026, the City Council received a preliminary estimate of $430,100 for water improvements to serve Bridger at Central Addition, Phase 2, "north of Central, east of 135th Street West."
The City's project documents give the road's purpose as roadway, drainage and pedestrian improvements. They don't cite the new development as the reason. Still, the timing lines up, and the road and the 305 lots will be finished for many of the same years.
Where the Errand Run Ends Now
The third change is at the corner the closure doesn't touch. Wichita's ninth Chipotle opened on Tuesday, September 29, at 13333 W. Maple, in front of the Dillons and just west of the Scooter's at 135th and Maple. The Wichita Eagle reported that it has a Chipotlane, a drive-through window for picking up online orders, and is open 10:45 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Chipotle's location page shows it as open with the same hours. The last time Chipotle added a restaurant inside the Wichita city limits was December 2021, on South Seneca.
The same week, 7 Brew opened at 10221 W. 21st St., according to the Eagle's roundup of late-September openings. A bit farther east, Banh Mi Bites opened June 4 at 2755 N. Maize Road in NewMarket Square. It serves build-your-own Vietnamese sandwiches and has a coffee bar with Vietnamese coffee, lattes and boba tea. The Eagle's coverage notes that the owners, Christine and Vincent Pham, used to run a nail salon in the same strip center.
From Rainbow Lakes, the Chipotle and Dillons at 135th and Maple are a straight drive south with no detour. A trip north to 13th Street will keep using 119th until the City lifts the closure at Lost Creek Circle, which it currently expects in late 2026.
If you're in Rainbow Lakes and wondering what the 135th rebuild and the new lots next door mean for your own street, I'm glad to talk it through with you. I've followed west Wichita's growth for more than three decades, and I can help you sort out what's already on the city's schedule from what's still just a line on a plat. Nancy Jo Statton is always happy to hear from neighbors. Let's Connect.
