Springfield, Greene County – The third and final phase of a project to rebuild the 1970s-era, original concrete pavement on U.S. Route 65 between Sunshine Street and U.S. Route 60 in southeast Springfield starts at 12:01 a.m. on Sunday, August 4, the Missouri Department of Transportation said.
At that time, all lanes of southbound Route 65 will CLOSE between Sunshine Street and Battlefield Road signaling the beginning of the Route 65: THE REBUILD project. All southbound Route 65 traffic will be diverted to Sunshine Street.
Other sections of southbound and northbound Route 65 will be CLOSED up to two weeks to allow crews to replace the two, original highway lanes between Route 60 and Sunshine Street. The closings, all together, will last up to 35 days – between August 4 and September 20.
Drivers are urged to begin planning their alternate routes now!
MAJOR TRAFFIC CONGESTION IN SOUTHEAST SPRINGFIELD IS EXPECTED.
To help with traffic flow, two temporary traffic signals have been installed in two separate locations. One signal is located at Blackman Road and Battlefield Road. The other is installed at Greene County Route D (East Sunshine Street) and Missouri Route 125. Both signals will begin flashing on Monday, July 22, and will become fully operational at 12:01 a.m. on Sunday, August 4. The signals are only temporary and will be removed when the Route 65 closings are complete in late September.
Two signed detours will be in place to get drivers who want to travel through Springfield around the Route 65 closings. One detour will use a western loop around Springfield, using I-44 and Route 360/60 (James River Freeway). The other detour will use I-44, Route 125 and Route 60 east of Springfield.
Due to expected traffic congestion on city, county and state routes in the Springfield metro area, MoDOT and the city of Springfield engineers will monitor traffic flow and adjust traffic signal timing as needed to accommodate the increased volumes.
MoDOT also is working with local law enforcement agencies. Officers will assist with work zone enforcement and traffic flow during the project.
Drivers are urged to allow plenty of extra travel time and obey law enforcement officers and work zone signs.
Here’s a look at the project schedule and traffic impacts:
- Sunday-Saturday, August 4-10
- All southbound lanes of Route 65 CLOSED between Sunshine Street and Battlefield Road
- Southbound on ramp from Sunshine Street to Route 65 CLOSED
- Southbound off ramp from Route 65 to Battlefield Road CLOSED
- Saturday-Tuesday, August 10-20
- All southbound lanes of Route 65 CLOSED between Battlefield Road and Route 60
- Southbound Route 65 OPEN between Sunshine Street and Battlefield Road, but reduced to one lane
- Southbound on ramp from Battlefield Road to Route 65 CLOSED
- Southbound Route 65-to-westbound Route 60 ramp CLOSED
All lanes of Route 65 open during the Labor Day holiday (Tuesday-Friday, August 20-September 6)
- Friday-Saturday, September 6-14
- All northbound lanes of Route 65 CLOSED between Route 60 and Battlefield Road
- Eastbound Route 60-to-northbound Route 65 ramp CLOSED
- Westbound Route 60-to-northbound Route 65 ramp CLOSED
- Northbound off ramp from Route 65 to Battlefield Road CLOSED
- Saturday-Friday, September 14-20
- All northbound lanes of Route 65 CLOSED between Battlefield Road and Sunshine Street
- Northbound Route 65 OPEN between Route 60 and Battlefield Road, but reduced to one lane
- Northbound on ramp from Battlefield Road to Route 65 CLOSED
- Northbound off ramp from Route 65 to Sunshine Street CLOSED
- Eastbound Route 60-to-northbound Route 65 ramp CLOSED
- Westbound Route 60-to-northbound Route 65 ramp CLOSED
- Route 60 crossovers CLOSED between Route 65 and Greene County Routes NN/J
- September 20-November 1
- Nighttime lane closings for shoulder construction/guardrail/striping
- All Route 65 lanes open during daytime hours
Weather and/or construction delays will alter the work schedule.
Project highlights:
- Replace the two lanes of original concrete pavement on Route 65 between Sunshine Street and Route 60
- Replace a section of the southbound Route 65-to-westbound Route 60 ramp
- Upgrade guardrail between Sunshine Street and Route 60
- Rebuild asphalt shoulders in areas
The original concrete pavement between Sunshine Street and Route 60, built in the 1970s, has outlived its useful life and is deteriorating to the point where it must be replaced. The inside lane in each direction closest to the median is new pavement which was constructed in 2010-2011 when Route 65 was widened to six lanes. Also, no work is planned for ramp lanes built between Sunshine Street and Battlefield Road in 2015.
To complete the project quickly and safely requires Route 65 to be closed in sections to remove the old concrete pavement and replace it with new concrete.
The estimated total project cost is $8.1 million.
The overall project completion date is November 1, 2019. However, the closings of Route 65 will be complete by late September.
The prime contractor is Emery Sapp and Sons, Inc. of Columbia.
Route 65: THE REBUILD History:
- Phase I: Replaced the original concrete pavement between Kearney Street and Sunshine Street. Completed in 2017. Total project cost: $7.9 million.
- Phase II: Replaced the original concrete pavement on southbound Route 65 between Valley Water Mill Road and Kearney Street and replaced the aging southbound Route 65 bridge over I-44. Completed in 2018. Total project cost: $4.3 million.
- With the completion of Phase III, all 1970s-era concrete pavement will have been replaced, the new pavement should last another 40-to-50 years with minimal maintenance.
END
(For more information, call MoDOT in Springfield at 417-895-7600 or visit www.modot.org/southwest)
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(For timely traffic information in the Springfield area, visit www.ozarkstraffic.com)