ST. LOUIS – As winter starts to (hopefully) draw to a close, MoDOT construction teams and contractors are already looking at the road ahead for roadway construction this year.
Some of the work is already underway, so MoDOT is sharing information on the projects within the greater St. Louis area that will have significant impacts on daily travel. These projects will have lane or roadway closures, often around the clock, and may have narrowed and shifted lanes.
“We have several projects along the I-44 corridor – from the Mississippi River all the way out to the Crawford County line. Two of them – Meramec River Bridge and the bridge reconstruction at Jefferson – will have very large impact on travel into and through the St. Louis City area. In the northern part of the region, we have significant work impacting the Blanchette Bridge into St. Charles County and the I-270 corridor between I-70 and the Illinois state border. Once again, we encourage drivers, especially along I-44, I-70 and I-270 to review their options. We are sharing this information now so motorists know where the most impacts to traffic are expected so they can be prepared and consider what option works best for them as early as possible,” said MoDOT St. Louis District Engineer Tom Blair.
MoDOT projects expected to have the biggest traffic impact to motorists in and around the St. Louis region this year are:
(Note: projects are listed by location and not by overall potential impact)
Interstate 44 construction
St. Louis City – I-44 bridge replacement at Jefferson. Drivers should expect significant traffic shifts during the project. No access to Jefferson from the ramp from northbound I-55 to westbound I-44 during the project. The ramp from Lafayette to westbound I-44 and the ramp from Jefferson to eastbound I-44 will be closed during the project. All the other ramps at Jefferson will close for 30 days for reconstruction. The roadway between Compton and I-55 will be resurfaced at the end of the project.
St. Louis County, Meramec River Bridge rebuild, including eastbound I-44/southbound I-270 bridge to Watson Road. Expect several traffic shifts, including moving eastbound traffic to the newly constructed eastbound bridge and westbound traffic to the new westbound bridge late in the year. The ramp from EB I-44 and southbound I-270 to eastbound Watson Road will be closed for three months after Memorial Day; during that time, the ramp from northbound I-270 to eastbound I-44 will be closed, but traffic will detour to Lindbergh.
Franklin County, I-44 resurfacing from the St. Louis County line to Route 30 and on Loop 44 from Neosho St. to Route 100. Expect off-peak daytime lane closures, starting in the spring and ending in late fall.
Interstate 55 construction
Interstate 55 from Route A to Route 67 – Adding southbound auxiliary lanes. Drivers can expect extended lane closures during construction, which begins in summer 2020 and will be completed in summer 2021.
Interstate 64 construction
St. Louis City, I-64 interchange improvements at 22nd Street. This will construct a full interchange between 21st Street and Jefferson in the city of St. Louis. Several ramps will be completely closed (five of which have already closed at the request of the city of St. Louis). Drivers can also expect two full weekend closures of I-64 during the project, although those dates have not yet been determined. Work will start later this year and will continue through 2022.
Interstate 70 construction
St. Charles County, Bridge rehabilitation at the I-70 Blanchette Bridge. During this construction project, drivers should expect delays crossing the I-70 Blanchette Bridge. Both the westbound and eastbound bridges will be reduced to three through lanes through November 2020. The ramp from Veterans Memorial Parkway to eastbound I-70 will be closed through November 2020. Motorists should consider using Route 370, Route 364 and Interstate 64/Route 40 as alternative routes. The project will continue into 2021, but only off-peak closures will occur in the eastbound direction only until late 2021.
Interstate 270 construction
St. Louis County, I-270 Roadway reconstruction. This section of I-270 North was constructed in the 1960s and the bridges need to be replaced. The updated, modern design will improve safety and traffic flow and includes interchange reconstruction, additional highway lanes, improved accessibility for pedestrians and bikes, and an updated outer road system. Drivers can anticipate traffic shifts, lane closures and other impacts during construction which begins in mid-April.
State route construction
Route 100, Pavement improvement and sidewalk updates between Big Bend and Lindbergh. Work updates signals and drainage along the corridor, updates sidewalks to meet Americans with Disabilities Act requirements. When the work is complete, the roadway is resurfaced. Starts in late 2020.
Route AB, Bridge replacement at Hibler Creek. After Memorial Day, crews will close Route AB at Hibler Creek for three months to replace the bridge over the creek.
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