ST. LOUIS – Work on the northbound section of Interstate 55 over the Union Pacific Railroad bridge, just south of Loughborough Avenue has been significantly delayed due to damage to the girders on the bridge.
The $63 million project along I-55 between Lindbergh and I-44 in the city of St. Louis rehabilitates 13 pairs of I-55 bridges along the corridor. Work started on the north portion of the project in 2022, with work on the bridges between River Des Peres and Loughborough starting in March 2023.
Planned work on this bridge included removing and replacing the existing driving surface. The bridge girders would be kept in place to support the new driving surface. As contractor crews were removing the driving surface from the bridge over the railroad, several of the girders were damaged. To ensure that the finished roadway meets expected construction standards, many of the girders on that bridge may be repaired and others will need to be completely replaced.
Crews are evaluating the girders to determine the appropriate solutions. At this time, it has been determined that some of the girders must be completely replaced. Since the girders were not projected to be replaced during this project, the time it takes for them to be manufactured, delivered, and installed was not in the original construction schedule.
Once MoDOT and the contractor have developed a full scope of repairs and ordered the new girders, the department will be able to give an updated projection on how long lanes on this stretch of northbound interstate between River Des Peres and Loughborough will remain closed. Given the current supply chain timelines and permitting requirements over the railroad, the northbound lanes could remain closed through 2024. This extends the expected completion date of the project into 2025.
Updated timelines, including updated information on construction on the southbound bridges, will be shared as soon as they become available.
The issues on this one bridge do not impact the work continuing on I-55 to the north and south of this area. Crews are expected to complete work and reopen much of the roadway north of Virginia by the end of 2023. Work on the southern portion near Green Park Road and Gravois Creek, which started late this summer, is still on schedule to be completed in fall 2024. Paving on I-55 from I-44 to Lindbergh is expected to start soon as a separate project. It will begin in 2024 on the north side and continue paving through the corridor as the bridge work is completed. Paving work is expected to continue through 2025.
For more project information, please visit the project website at: Interstate 55 Bridge Rehabilitation in St. Louis and St. Louis City | Missouri Department of Transportation (modot.org)
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