Springfield, Greene County – The second phase of a project to rebuild sections of U.S. Route 65 in Springfield will cause major traffic delays and detours starting early Saturday morning, July 14, and lasting into late August.
The major highway and bridge project kicks off with a complete 24-hour closing of Interstate 44 at U.S. Route 65 from 12:01 a.m. Saturday until 12:01 a.m. Sunday, July 14-15. Southbound U.S. Route 65 also will be closed starting at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, July 14, and lasting until late August.
During the project, several signed detours will be in place to get drivers to their destinations. Drivers are urged to allow for extra travel time when traveling through Springfield or traveling through Springfield to reach vacation destinations in the Branson/Table Rock Lake areas.
Here’s a look at the project:
- Replace the southbound Route 65 bridge over I-44
- Rebuild southbound Route 65 pavement between Valley Water Mill Road and Kearney Street
- Rebuild ramps in areas along southbound Route 65
- Westbound I-44-to-southbound Route 65
- Southbound Route 65-to-eastbound I-44
- A portion of eastbound I-44-to-southbound Route 65
- Southbound Route 65 to Kearney Street
- No work planned for northbound Route 65 (Northbound Route 65 pavement was replaced during the installation of the flyover ramp from northbound Route 65 to westbound I-44 in 2006-2007 and other segments were replaced during the Route 65 REBUILD project in 2017)
Expected traffic impacts:
- July 14-July 15 – I-44 CLOSED for 24-hours at Route 65 in Springfield for bridge demolition
- July 14 until late August – Southbound Route 65 at I-44 CLOSED up to 48 calendar days
- August 6-August 12 – Southbound Route 65 CLOSED between I-44 and Kearney Street
- August 13-August 21 – Southbound Route 65 CLOSED between Greene County Route AA and I-44
- Various ramps closed at interchange during construction
- Detours will be in place using various state routes including Glenstone Avenue (Current project to rebuild Glenstone Avenue pavement between I-44 and Kearney Street will be complete before the Route 65 project begins.)
- Weather and/or construction delays will alter the work schedule.
The entire project must be completed by November 1. However, contractor crews expect the Route 65 REBUILD project to be finished and opened to traffic by late August.
The prime contractor doing the work is Millstone Weber, Inc. of St. Charles.
The estimated total project cost is $4.3 million.
(For more information, call MoDOT in Springfield at 417-895-7600 or visit www.modot.org/southwest) (Follow MoDOT's Southwest District: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram |YouTube) (For timely traffic information in the Springfield area, visit www.ozarkstraffic.com)