JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Interstate 70 is scheduled to close the morning of Sunday, Nov. 5, for up to one hour to blast footings of the old Missouri River bridge at Rocheport, weather permitting. For the safety of motorists and the demolition team, the interstate and a perimeter around the blast must be closed and secure during and immediately after the blast, which is tentatively scheduled for 8 a.m.
The majority of the blast will be underwater, but with an abundance of caution for the safety of the traveling public, traffic on I-70, in both directions, will be stopped just prior to the blast. Once the area is secured, the demolition team will use a controlled explosion to demo the footing. Crews will then inspect the new westbound bridge to ensure all debris is clear before the interstate is reopened to traffic. It is expected this process could take up to one hour.
Motorists and members of the public are strongly advised to avoid I-70 and the area around the bridge on the morning of Sunday, Nov. 5, from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m.
In case of inclement weather, the blast could be delayed that morning, or rescheduled.
Construction on the new eastbound bridge is already underway and progress can be viewed and followed via the cameras linked at the project’s webpage modot.org/RocheportBridge. While there, learn more details about this $220 million project which began in early 2022 and is on time to be completed with both bridges open to traffic in December 2024.
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