MoDOT Warns Motorists to Watch Out for Summer Work Zones

For more information, contact MoDOT Communications at 573-751-2840 or the local District Communications Manager at 1-888-ASK-M ODOT.

JEFFERSON CITY – To help ensure summer travels are as carefree as possible, the Missouri Department of Transportation has developed a list of significant work zones to be on the lookout for this summer. Drivers will encounter delays in work zones on Interstate 44, Interstate 55, and Interstate 70 for resurfacing and bridge repairs across the state. Lane restrictions are also expected on several other major routes including Route 54 and Route 63 north of Jefferson City and Route 65 in Springfield.

While most work zones will not be active over the Memorial Day weekend, it may be necessary for some lane closures to remain in place. Most routine work zones will stop at noon Friday, May 26 and will resume at 9 a.m. Tuesday, May 30.

Driver inattention was the number one cause of work zone crashes last year. The average text takes five seconds to read. Traveling at 55 mph, you will travel more than the length of a football field—blindfolded. MoDOT’s slow moving maintenance operations move as slow as 10 mph and if you aren’t paying attention to the road, you will come up on the closed lane very quickly.

“You are driving two tons of steel. It’s hard to do more than one thing at a time so focus on the road,” said MoDOT Chief Engineer Ed Hassinger. “Put your phone down and make work zones no phone zones.”

Motorists should pay attention to all signing, follow the posted speed limits, and take turns merging every other car, like a zipper, where lanes are closed. Always wear safety belts and be alert for slowed traffic, narrowed lanes or a reduced number of lanes. Many of these work zones may cause congestion and traffic delays especially during the peak travel times of daily rush hours and weekends including Friday evenings and Sunday afternoons.

      The following list provides information on how the major interstate work zones will affect travel and for how long. Information on all MoDOT work zones statewide is available up to a week in advance on the department’s Traveler Information Map located at www.modot.org. The map is available as a free app available for iPhone and Android phones. The map also displays current traffic speed conditions and live camera views. Motorists can also call MoDOT’s 24/7 customer service toll free at 1-888-ASK-MoDOT (275-6636).

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Missouri’s Major Traffic Impacting Work Zones for 2017

Interstate 44

1. I-44, Lawrence County – Bridge improvements over Spring River includes reducing I-44 to one lane in each direction on one side of the highway while the eastbound bridge is repaired. Lanes will be closed from mile marker 38-46 until Fall 2017.
2. I-44, St. Louis County – Pavement improvements from Route 109 to Murdoch, mile marker 264-282, includes nightly lane closures on I-44 from summer 2017 through 2018.
3. I-44, St. Louis County and City - Pavement and bridge improvements from Murdoch to River Des Peres at BNSF railroad , mile maker 282-283, includes one lane closed on I-44 in both directions around the clock until the end of the year. The ramp from Shrewsbury to eastbound I-44 will also be closed.
4. I-44/I-55, St. Louis City – Bridge improvements between I-44/I-55 interchange and Poplar Street Bridge in downtown St. Louis, mile marker 290, includes one lane closed around the clock through the end of the summer.

Interstate 70

1. I-70, Lafayette County – Resurfacing from Jackson County Line to Odessa, mile marker 29-39, includes day and nighttime lane closures through mid-summer.
2. I-70, Boone County – Pavement repair and resurfacing from Missouri River at Rocheport to St Charles Road interchange in Columbia, mile marker 114-131, includes nighttime lane closures through the end of the year.
3. I-70, St. Charles County - Pavement and barrier wall improvements from Mid Rivers Mall Drive to Fifth Street, mile marker 222-229, includes nighttime lane closures through the end of the year.

Other high impact interstate and major route projects

1. I-29, Holt County – Remove and replace bridge over railroad tracks and resurface bridge over Davis Creek in Mound City, mile maker 83-84, includes one lane closed in each direction with width restrictions through the end of the year.
2. I-35, Clay County – Resurfacing and bridge repairs at Route 69, mile marker 14, includes one lane closed on southbound I-35 through the end of the year.
3. I-55, Jefferson County – Repairs to 21 bridges and resurfacing from Route Z to Ste. Genevieve County line, mile marker165-180, includes night and weekend lane closures through 2018.
4. I-55, New Madrid, Pemiscot and Scott counties – Resurfacing and guardrail work mile marker 0-67 includes reducing I-55 to one lane in each direction from June through the end of the year.
5. I-64/I-55, St. Louis City – Widen and resurface the Poplar Street Bridge over the Mississippi River, add a second lane to the northbound I-55 ramp to the bridge, and extend the Sixth Street ramp onto eastbound I-64 includes various lane and ramp closures through the fall of 2018. The ramp from northbound I-55 to eastbound Poplar Street Bridge will be closed from August to the end of the year.
6. Route 54, Callaway County – Resurfacing, repairs to nine bridges and installation of median guard cable from the Missouri River Bridge to I-70 at Kingdom City, includes one lane closed in each direction with traffic diverted to one side of the highway at times through fall of 2018.
7. Route 61, Lincoln and St. Charles counties – Resurfacing both directions from Route E to St Charles County line, major bridge repair at the Lincoln/St. Charles County line southbound over Big Creek and building new interchange Route P and Peine Road includes occasional lane closures. Resurfacing complete in fall 2017. Big Creek bridge and Route P and Peine Road interchange complete fall 2018.
8. Route 63, Callaway County – Bridge repairs southbound over the KATY Trail includes one lane closed in each direction with traffic diverted to one side of the highway until fall 2017.
9. Route 65, Greene County – Work to rebuild the outside two lanes of Route 65 between Kearney Street and Sunshine Street in Springfield will close all lanes in sections between interchanges in one direction for 35 days each direction during summer 2017.
10. Route 65, Greene County – Work to widen Route 65 from Route 60 to Christian County line and make improvements to bridges over Lake Springfield will close various lanes through fall 2017.