MoDOT, District 8, Springfield -- Route 65 through Springfield will become a six-lane freeway with a $27-million project beginning the week of Aug. 31, the Missouri Department of Transportation said.

Nighttime lane closings will be needed each night right away.

Much of the work will be done at night, although drivers can expect to see some daytime construction activity where it will not interfere with traffic. However, lanes of Route 65 will be closed ONLY at night.

The 7-1/2-mile long section of Route 65 -- between Route 60 and Interstate 44 -- will be the first six-lane highway in the Springfield metro area. Scheduled completion is Fall 2011.

The prime contractor is Emery Sapp and Sons, Columbia.

MoDOT is partnering with the City of Springfield and Greene County on the project. MoDOT will provide $23.3 million, which includes Amendment 3, American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (federal "economic stimulus") and MoDOT/Springfield District's normal funds. Springfield is putting $2 million in 1/8-cent transportation sales tax money into the project. Greene County is using $1.7 million in ARRA funds.

The six-laning project was expanded and accelerated after the economic stimulus funds became available and with the participation of Springfield and Greene County.

Lanes Will Be Closed Only at Night

Drivers are asked to pay attention to their driving and not be distracted by the construction work along Route 65.

Work will take place in the Route 65 median and along the outside shoulders -- often in more than one location at a time.

Lanes of Route 65 will be closed only at night to minimize slowdowns. Lane closings will be allowed between 6:45 p.m. and 6:15 a.m. Cross streets may have to be closed at times during nighttime hours.

The Route 65 speed limit will be reduced to 50 mph where a work zone is set up and a lane is closed. Signs posted on the project show that a work zone speeding violation will cost a driver $250 on top of other fines.

Updates on the Route 65 six-laning project will be posted on MoDOT's web site. Visit www.modot.org/springfield and check "Today's Road Work."

Initial Impacts to Route 65 Traffic

1. During nighttime hours starting Monday, Aug. 31, contractor crews will begin working along the outside shoulders of Route 65 between Sunshine Street and Chestnut Expressway. The existing shoulders must be torn out and rebuilt to handle traffic when it is shifted to the outside during construction of a new bridge in the median over the railroad tracks south of Chestnut Expressway.

This work will require lane closings on Route 65, a northbound lane the first few nights and then a southbound lane.

2. In the Route 65 median, an explosives contractor is scheduled to begin work Tuesday night, Sept. 1, drilling into rock under the ground to set off small charges. This will be done between 7 p.m. and 11 p.m.

Rock must be removed as part of the excavation needed for new underground stormwater drainage pipes. Blasting will take place in several locations between Route 60 and I-44 over about 50 working days.

Traffic will be stopped for up to five minutes during a blast. The blast area in the median will be covered to keep debris off the highway so traffic can be allowed to move once again with minimal delay.

Representatives of a company that will monitor the blasting are visiting in person with the owners of structures within 250 feet of the Route 65 median to explain blasting and monitoring operations.

Need for 6-Lane Route 65

The need for the Route 65 six-laning is yet another sign that the Springfield area and other areas in southwest Missouri continue to grow and develop.

Route 65 carries 70,000 to 80,000 cars a day, depending on location -- more traffic than I-44 through Springfield. Traffic reaches or exceeds the road's capacity for several hours each day.

The project addresses two basic needs, District Engineer Kirk Juranas said.

"We have combined increased capacity and a higher level of safety," he said.

Earlier plans called for installing median guard cable on Route 65 through Springfield. However, because the widening project includes a concrete median barrier, a project is being developed to add guard cable in the grass median of Route 65 south of Route 60 through Ozark.

Six-Laning Project Details

* Adding a lane in each direction in the median, with a 7-foot wide median shoulder and a concrete barrier separating the northbound and southbound sides.

* Replacing two Route 65 bridges over the Burlington Northern-Santa Fe Railroad tracks south of Chestnut Expressway and re-decking the two Route 65 bridges over the BNSF tracks north of Division Street.

* Repairing an uplift that has created a bump in the pavement on both sides of Route 65 between Kearney Street and Division Street.

* Installing emergency reference markers. It's part of a plan to put up markers, similar to those in use along the interstate highways in the state, along Route 65 between the Missouri-Arkansas line and Springfield (and eventually Buffalo).