Lawrence County – I-44 traffic over Freistatt Branch west of Mt. Vernon near Mile Marker 41 in Lawrence County will be reduced to one lane in each direction for up to 90 days when contractor crews begin work to rehabilitate the bridges beginning the week of March 15, the Missouri Department of Transportation said.
Crews will make repairs to the bridge deck/driving surface and lay a new concrete surface. In addition, the contractor will add new approach pavement, new permanent striping and make substructure repairs.
These bridges were built in 1963 as two of the bridges built during the original construction of I-44 through Lawrence County. Approximately 30,600 vehicles cross these bridges daily.
Traffic Impacts:
- I-44 will be reduced to one lane of traffic in each direction near Mile Marker 41 for up to 90 days
- Drivers should expect slowed traffic, traffic delays
- Crews and large equipment near traffic
- Speed limit will be reduced to 60 mph through work zone
- Signs and message boards will alert drivers approaching the work zone
- Drivers should consider alternate routes during the project
- Check MoDOT’s Traveler Information Map for road closings/traffic impacts
Weather and/or construction delays could alter the work schedule.
This work is part of a three-year project to improve 25 bridges within 15 miles of I-44 across the Southwest District. Of the 25 bridges in the project, known as the I-44 Corridor Bridge Bundle, seven (7) are mainline I-44 bridges, five (5) are I-44 overpass bridges and the remaining bridges are on adjacent routes over various features. Sixteen (16) bridges will be replaced and nine (9) bridges will receive major rehabilitation work.
More information about this project can be found on the project website – I-44 Corridor Bridge Bundle.
Project Details:
- Prime Contractor – The ESS Team
- Emery Sapp & Sons, Inc. – Columbia
- Parsons Transportation Group, Inc. – St. Louis
- Total Project Cost: $43.2 million
- Contract Completion Date: September 30, 2024
The ESS Team is a partnership of engineering and construction firms that will design and construct the project with oversight by MoDOT and the Federal Highway Administration.
(For more information, call MoDOT in Springfield at 417-895-7600 or visit www.modot.org/southwest)
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