Districts Impacted

Southeast
Counties Impacted
Cape Girardeau
Project Status
In Progress
Route Impacted
Interstate 55

Project Milestones

Complete
Public Meeting
August 2018
Complete
MHTC Award
Jan. 2020
In Progress
Construction Begins
Feb. 2020

Learn More >

Not Started
Completion Anticipated
Nov. 2021
Center Junction: Cape and Jackson, Missouri

Plan Your Commute: April 2020-Nov. 2021

Things to know:

  • I-55 SB off ramp closed
  • I-55 NB on ramp closed
  • I-55 – reduced to one lane in each direction
  • Left turns on Route 61 at I-55 prohibited
  • Route 61 – reduced to one lane in each direction
  • Cape Girardeau motorists: Cape County Park South Entrance – head to head traffic begins

  • Jackson motorists: Old Orchard Road Intersection – head to head traffic begins

Learn More: View the Aerial

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.

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 Archive