ST. LOUIS HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION

HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION REPORT
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UPDATE:

MLK Bridge to Close August 21 for Repairs

The Martin Luther King Bridge, just north of Laclede's Landing, will be closed through early fall of 2019.

Martin Luther King Bridge Closed Until 2019
ST. LOUIS, MO, (SLFP.com) - The Illinois Department of Transportation has closed the Martin Luther King Bridge to perform extensive repairs to the ramps and roadways leading to the Martin Luther King Bridge.

The Martin Luther King Bridge will remain closed through early fall of 2019.

Motorists are urged to plan accordingly and use alternate routes including the I-70 Stan Musial Veterans Memorial Bridge.

Drivers are encouraged to seek alternate forms of transportation including carpooling and public tranportation.

Construction on Central West End MetroLink Station
ST. LOUIS, MO, (SLFP.com) - Construction is underway on the extension of the platform at the Central West End MetroLink station.

The platform will remain open during the project which is expected to take about six months to complete, but temporary closures may be necessary at times during construction. Advance notice will be provided for Metro riders if temporary closures are required.

The walkway which connects the MetroLink platform at the Central West End Transit Center to the MetroBus area in the parking garage adjacent to the station will be closed starting August 20 for the duration of the construction project.

Metro riders who transfer between MetroLink and MetroBus at the Central West End Station will now access the MetroBus area in the parking garage from Children's Place and will access the MetroLink platform via Euclid Avenue. Metro Shuttles will transport riders who need assistance traveling between Euclid Avenue and the MetroBus area at Children's Place and Taylor Avenue. Metro riders transferring between MetroBus and MetroLink at the Central West End Station should allow an extra 10 minutes for their commutes.

The platform extension at the Central West End MetroLink Station is the third phase of the $15.4 million project which included the building of the new Cortex Station and the first quarter-mile portion of the Chouteau Greenway. Both of those projects were completed and opened to the public on July 31.

All three phases of the project are being funded through a public-private partnership which included a federal grant of $10.3 million from the Federal Transit Administration. The Central West End MetroLink Station is the busiest station on the 46-mile MetroLink system. The platform is being extended to the east to better accommodate the volume of riders using the station.

Many Work Zones Impact Travel Within St. Louis Region
ST. LOUIS, MO, (SLFP.com) - Warm weather may currently not be an everyday event yet in the St. Louis, but MoDOT construction teams and contractors are already starting to prepare for roadway construction this year.

"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 - the bridge replacement near Shrewsbury and the bridge work between Kingshighway and 39th Street in St. Louis City - will have a very large impact on travel into and through the St. Louis City area. We encourage drivers that regularly use that section of I-44 to start looking at some of their other options now. For some, adjusting the time of their commute may be an option, or talking to their company about telecommuting options. Others may want to consider alternate routes to get around the construction. For others, using ride-sharing, carpooling or transit options may be the best choice. 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 Assistant District Engineer Bill Schnell.

"We have several avenues where drivers can get information about upcoming lane closures and impact in the St. Louis area. We put out a work zone report every Wednesday afternoon detailing work for the next week. We also share information on social media - namely Twitter and Facebook. People can sign up for the e-update lists of our larger projects - such as the Poplar Street Bridge and I-44 work at Shrewsbury. Finally, people can check out information on our Traveler Information Map: http://traveler.modot.org/map/index.html," said Schnell.

MoDOT projects expected to have the biggest traffic impact to motorists in and around the St. Louis region are:

(Note: projects are listed by interstate and not by the overall potential impact. Projects that have projected around-the-clock lane closures are marked with an asterisk (*).)

Interstate 44
* I-44 bridge improvements between Kingshighway and 39th Street. (St. Louis City) It includes rehabilitating the Union Pacific Railroad, Vandeventer and Tower Grove bridges and replacing the Kingshighway, Thurman and 39th Street bridges. During this project, crews will also replace the pedestrian bridge over the interstate between the Edwards overpass and Kingshighway. One I-44 lane in both directions will be closed around the clock, and several ramps and cross streets will be impacted during the work. The project starts in early 2018 and will be completed in late 2019.

* I-44 bridge and pavement rehabilitation between Murdoch and the River Des Peres. (St. Louis County) This project replaces the eastbound bridge over the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad. During construction, the ramp from Shrewsbury to eastbound I-44 will be closed in early spring 2018. Drivers will have shifted lanes - three eastbound and two westbound - during the project. The project has begun. The bridge project will be completed in late 2018, while final resurfacing will be complete in late spring 2019.

I-44 pavement repairs and resurfacing from east of Murdoch Avenue to Route 141. (St. Louis County)Work will be complete by the end of 2018.

* I-44 Meramec River Bridge replacement. (St. Louis County)This project replaces the eastbound and westbound I-44 bridges just west of I-270 over the Meramec. Replaces the bridges on the ramps between I-44 and eastbound and westbound Watson Road. Work starts on the westbound I-44 bridge in late 2018. Drivers can expect lane and ramp closures and shifted traffic lanes by fall 2018. The project continues through 2021.

I-44 bridge replacement between Route 100 and Route 50. (Franklin County) Replace the eastbound I-44 bridge over Route 50 in Franklin County. Crews will start work in March by building out the median and shifting traffic. Lanes will be narrowed but one lane will be open at all times. Most lane closures will be during off-peak hours. There will likely need to be a full closure at some point to set girders and demo the old bridge. In addition, crews will replace the bridge for St. Mary's Road over I-44 this summer. Drivers can expect off-peak lane closures and some overnight closures for demolition and to set girders.

I-44 pavement improvements between Route 30 and the Crawford County line. (Franklin County) One lane closed during off-peak times. Work starts this summer and ends in the fall of 2019.

Interstate 55
I-55 from Route A to the Ste. Genevieve County line. (Jefferson County) Rehabilitation of 21 bridges over northbound and southbound I-55, as well as pavement and guardrail improvements on I-55. The work will continue through 2018. There will be overnight and weekend lane closures for much of the year as crews work to rehab the bridges. No full closures are expected. The zipper merge is encouraged on this project.

Interstate 64
* I-64 Poplar Street Bridge widening. (St. Louis City) This project adds an eastbound lane to the Poplar Street Bridge, adds a second lane to the NB I-55 ramp, and extends the 6th Street ramp into Illinois. Work will also overlay the eastbound lanes and repaint the bridge. Work has begun and should be complete in spring 2019.

I-64 Resurfacing and ramp work between Sarah and the Poplar Street Bridge. (St. Louis City) This project removes and replaces the driving surface between Sarah and 21st Street. It also includes resurfacing on the ramps at Market, Forest Park and Grand. Another project in the area renovates several ramps on I-64. Work includes the westbound exit ramp at 9th Street; the westbound entrance ramps at Broadway, 10th Street and 14th Street; and the eastbound exit ramps at 6th Street, 11th Street and 14th Street. The work will require ramp closures and traffic will be detoured during ramp closures. Work begins in spring 2018 and will be complete by the fall.

I-64 interchange updates at I-70/Route 61. (St. Charles County) This project makes pavement and bridge improvements at the interchange. Drivers can expect off-peak lane closures. Work runs from spring to fall 2018.

Interstate 70
I-70 Pavement improvements from Springdale Ave. to Union Blvd. (city limits). (St. Louis County)This is a 2-year project that will include nightly lane closures.

I-70 relocation of interchange ramps at Route U (Lucas-Hunt). (St. Louis County)This project will be completed in the summer and will include full ramp closures in the interchange.

I-70 from Woodlawn to TR Hughes. (St. Charles County) Interchange, outer road and sidewalk improvements. Off-peak lane closures on the interstate but could be some around-the-clock closures on arterials. Starts spring and ends summer 2019.

Interstate 270
I-270 at I-70 and Route 180. (St. Louis County)Pavement repairs on the ramps at the I-70/I-270/Route 180 interchange. This project will begin this fall and will include some full weekend ramp closures.

* I-270 bridge rehabilitation between Dorsett and I-70. (St. Louis County)This project will include up to two lanes closed in each direction and will last all summer.

I-270 pavement repairs and resurfacing between Route 100 and I-55. (St. Louis County)Work will be complete by the end of 2018.

Route 47 Missouri River Bridge. (Franklin County) The project began in late summer 2016 and will be completed in late 2018, with the old bridge demolished in 2019. Off-peak lane closures will continue during this work. Route 340 improvements from Chesterfield Parkway East /West to south of I-64. (St. Louis County) Extend the southbound auxiliary lane between the I-64 eastbound and westbound ramps. Extend the northbound left turn lane to westbound I-64 further to the south. Adds turn lanes at Chesterfield Parkway East and West and replaces the signals at those intersections. Adds a right turn lane on the westbound I-64 ramp to Route 340. Will be complete in late 2018.

"All of this work is to continue to maintain the existing system of roadways to ensure people in Missouri have a safe and operational transportation network. We understand the impacts that this roadwork can cause, and we minimize those impacts as much as we can by working during non-peak traffic hours, overnight and on weekends. In some cases, the type of work requires around-the-clock lane closures. That's why we share this information early and encourage people to look for alternate options through the construction season," said Schnell.

Gateway Guide Offers Live Views of St. Louis Traffic
ST. LOUIS, MO, (SLFP.com) - Does your daily commute catch you by surprise? Is it smooth sailing or are there crashes and other incidents on your path home that will cause you delays? Check out MoDOT's new and improved Gatewayguide.com website for live traffic information and alerts before you leave for work or home.

MoDOT's new GatewayGuide.com website shows nearly 300 live camera views updating every couple of seconds, displays real-time information on incidents and work zones with lane closures and is mobile friendly for your smart phone or other cellular device.

"You can sign up for personalized My STL Traffic alerts specific to the highway you use at the times you need it each day," said MoDOT Assistant District Engineer Tom Blair. "These alerts can be sent to you by text or email to the device you choose and will inform you of crashes or other lane closures. Our goal is to keep traffic moving. The better informed you are of current road conditions, the better choices you can make for a quick, safe trip."

The new website provides a tour of camera views from one end of an interstate to the other. It also shows a live Twitter feed from MoDOT's @StLouisTraffic. Check out the new website at www.gatewayguide.com.

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