ST. LOUIS – Early construction on the I-44 Meramec River Bridge replacement project near I-270 is expected to start within the next month, as the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission awarded the project yesterday.
During their regularly scheduled meeting, the commission awarded the project to replace both the eastbound and westbound I-44 bridges over the Meramec, just west of I-270, to KCI Construction, for just over $51 million.
Crews will start constructing a new westbound bridge between the existing eastbound and westbound bridges, and then will shift eastbound traffic onto the new bridge to demolish and replace the existing eastbound bridge. When the new eastbound bridge is complete, eastbound traffic will shift to it, and westbound traffic will move to the new westbound bridge. Crews will also slightly raise the bridges and I-44 to just west of the Soccer Park exit to raise the interstate further out of the floodplain. At this time, the anticipated impacts include one lane closed around the clock in each direction on I-44, starting later this summer, as well as several long-term ramp closures and traffic shifts. Additional lanes may be closed during off-peak hours.
The project also includes constructing a shared use path over the river, in partnership with Great Rivers Greenway, Fenton, Sunset Hills and Kirkwood.
Besides the river bridge replacement, the project will replace a bridge on the ramp from eastbound I-44 to eastbound Watson Road (Route 366) and from westbound Watson Road over the interstate to westbound I-44. Those replacements are expected to occur later in the project, and the ramps from Route 366 to the interstate will remain closed while the bridges are being replaced.
More details on anticipated traffic shifts, lane closures and the Route 366 bridge closures will be released when they are determined.
Construction on the project is expected to continue into late 2021.