Project Milestones
RECENT NEWS
U.S. 61 to Close Overnight at Center Junction
Final Stages of Project to be Completed
SIKESTON – Construction of the diverging diamond interchange at Interstate 55 and U.S. Route 61 (mile marker 99) between Cape Girardeau and Jackson, Missouri, continues with nightly closures of U.S. 61 beginning Monday, Oct. 4 through Friday, Oct. 22.
Contractor crews will continue work on U.S. 61 as the diverging diamond interchange project nears completion. Beginning Monday, Oct. 4 through Friday, Oct. 16, diamond grinding operations will take place. From Monday, Oct. 18 through Friday, Oct. 22, crews will be striping the lanes in preparation for project completion.
Weather permitting, work will take place nightly, requiring a full closure of U.S. 61 from Orchard Road to Veterans Drive from 8:30 p.m. to 6 a.m. All interstate ramps will remain open to right turn movements only. Motorists should seek alternate routes during closures.
PROJECT DETAILS
About
A $17,476,608 contract was awarded to Penzel Construction Co., Inc., for construction of a diverging diamond interchange and replacement of two Interstate 55 bridges at the intersection of Interstate 55 and Route 61 (Kingshighway/Jackson Boulevard) in Cape Girardeau County in January 2020.
Photos from Dec. 22, 2020
What are the benefits of converting the existing interchange to a diverging diamond interchange?
Diverging diamond interchanges work well in areas of heavy traffic. Approximately 23,000 vehicles per day travel through the interchange. A major benefit of the DDI design is it allows motorists to make left turns without crossing in front of oncoming traffic. It will also improve traffic flow onto and off of the interstate ramps.
PROJECT ARCHIVE
Public Meeting Held August 21, 2018
MoDOT held a public meeting from 4 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 21 to discuss replacing the Interstate 55 bridges over Highway 61 between Cape Girardeau and Jackson, Mo., and converting the existing interchange to a diverging diamond interchange (DDI). The meeting was held at the Osage Centre in Meeting Room 2, located at 1625 North Kingshighway in Cape Girardeau, Mo.
Public Meeting Materials:
News Release & Project Info Archive
- 9/27/2021: North and Southbound I-55 to Open at Center Junction
- 8/12/2021: U.S. Route 61 at Center Junction to Close Overnight Next Week
- 6/14/2021: I-55 Southbound Onramp at Center Junction to Close Next Week
- 4/20/2021: U.S. Route 61 at Center Junction to Close Overnight Next Week
- 12/14/2020: Contractor Set to Demolish I-55 Northbound Bridge
- 12/1/2020: Southbound Interstate 55 Ramp to Close at MM 99
- Aerial/Handout: September 2020 Update
- Video: Upcoming Traffic Shifts-Sept 2020
- 8/26/2020: Upcoming Traffic Shifts at Center Junction DDI for Project Milestone
- 7/23/2020: Video: Project Update
- 7/15/2020: Northbound Route 61 from Cape to Jackson
- 7/1/2020: UPDATE-Interstate 55 to Close Overnight at Center Junction
- 5/11/2020: Route 61 at Center Junction to Close Overnight Wednesday
- 5/4/2020: U.S. Route 61 at Center Junction to Close Overnight Thursday
- 4/27/2020: Southbound Interstate 55 to Close Overnight at Center Junction
- 4/15/2020: U.S. 61 at Center Junction to Close Overnight Next Week: Contractor …
- 3/23/2020: Construction of Center Junction DDI Continues: Head to Head Traffic …
- 3/17/2020: Staging Construction for DDI Continues
- 1/31/2020: Construction of Center Junction DDI Set to Begin
- Aerial/Handout: Plan Your Commute