Traffic Backups Expected for
Two Months
During Pavement Work on I-44 at Springfield
MoDOT, District 8, Springfield -- Lane closings and lane shifts
through late September are expected to generate traffic backups
on Interstate 44 just east of Springfield when a much-needed pavement
reconstruction project begins Monday, June 20.
A one-mile section of westbound I-44
will be rebuilt and a one-mile section of eastbound I-44 resurfaced
at the Route 744 interchange east of Springfield, the Missouri
Department of Transportation said.
The reconstruction of the westbound
lanes will be done by closing one lane at a time round the clock
for several weeks.
One westbound lane will remain open
at all times.
When the eastbound lanes are resurfaced,
drivers can expect one eastbound lane to be closed during daytime
hours. However, both lanes will be opened to traffic at night.
The westbound I-44 speed limit will
be reduced to 60 mph round the clock starting July 5.
The eastbound I-44 speed limit will
be reduced to 60 mph when a lane is closed and crews are working.
Rain or other delays will cause changes
in the work schedule.
The contractor doing the work is
Idecker, Inc. of St. Joseph, for a low-bid amount of $2.4 million.
Here's a look at the project's schedule:
* Week of June 13 -- Contractor crews
move in and begin setting work zone signs and preparing for the
project to begin on June 20. No lane closings are expected.
* June 20-July 5 -- The westbound
I-44 passing lane will be closed to allow crews to remove the
shoulder of the interstate and rebuild it to handle traffic that
will be shifted on to it during the reconstruction of the westbound
driving lane. The westbound passing lane will be closed during
this work.
During the Fourth of July holiday
weekend, there will be no lane closings in either direction on
I-44.
* July 5 -- The westbound I-44 driving
lane is scheduled to be closed round the clock until mid-August.
The old concrete pavement will be removed. Crews will haul in
new base rock and will pour concrete to rebuild the driving lane.
Westbound traffic will be shifted into one lane and will travel
on a portion of the shoulder.
* August 16 -- The westbound I-44
passing lane is scheduled to be closed round the clock until late
September to allow crews to tear out the old pavement, haul in
new base rock and pour new concrete pavement.
* July 7 - August 10
-- One eastbound lane is scheduled to be closed during the day
to allow contractor crews to repair the pavement, grind off the
old pavement and lay asphalt to resurface the road. One eastbound
lane will be closed. The lane closings will take place during
daytime hours with both eastbound lanes opened at night.
(For more information,
call MoDOT in Springfield at 417-895-7600.)
