ST. LOUIS – Drivers who use I-44 for weekend travel will want to consider alternate routes September 13-16, as MoDOT will close the interstate for work on the Watson Road bridge.
This work, which includes bridge girder painting, will allow crews to accelerate construction enough to be able to open the bridge by the end of September, one month early.
Crews will start closing all lanes of eastbound and westbound I-44 between I-270 and Geyer Road starting at 7 p.m. Friday, September 13, with all lanes closed by 8 p.m.
All lanes are scheduled to reopen by 5 a.m. Monday, September 16.
During the interstate closure, drivers will still be able to get from I-44 to I-270 in both directions, as well as to eastbound Watson Road (Route 366). Eastbound I-44 drivers wanting to continue east on I-44 can take exit 277A to Watson Road, turn onto Lindbergh, and take Lindbergh back to eastbound I-44. Westbound I-44 drivers wanting to continue west on I-44 will need to take the I-270 exit (exit 276) and use the westbound I-44 ramp (after the bridge) to continue on westbound I-44 during the closure. These detours are similar to the ones used during the bridge demolition earlier this summer.
The westbound Watson Road bridge should now reopen by the end of September. While the bridge is closed, Watson Road drivers can use Lindbergh to access westbound I-44 and northbound and southbound I-270.
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