ST. LOUIS HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION

HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION REPORT
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Convention Plaza Closed Between 11th Street and Hadley Street
ST. LOUIS, MO, (SLFP.com), January 19, 2012 - Continuing work on the North Tucker projects has necessitated the closure of Convention Plaza between 11th Street and Hadley Street for bridge demolition. It is expected that it will be closed for approximately two months.

To bypass the construction area, westbound traffic should use one-way southbound 10th Street to get to Washington Avenue or one-way northbound 11th Street to get to Cole Street. Eastbound traffic will need to use Tucker southbound to Washington Avenue. Tucker is closed north of Convention Plaza.

Nightly Lane Closures on Eastbound I-70 Blanchette Bridge

VIew of eastbound Blanchette Bridge where motorist can expect overnight lane closures for utility work.

January 14, 2012 - Barrel Bob, a 10-foot-tall man made of orange construction barrels, greeted eastbound motorists on I-70 near the Madison Street Overpass in downtown St. Louis.

Major Traffic Impacts for I-70 on Blanchette Bridge Start Late Fall
ST. LOUIS, MO, (SLFP.com), January 15, 2012 - The $63 million rehabilitation of the westbound Interstate 70 Missouri River Bridge (Blanchette Bridge) will close and detour traffic starting late fall 2012.

Walsh Construction Company plans to close the westbound I-70 Blanchette Bridge and shift lanes to the eastbound bridge starting late fall 2012, and no earlier than November 1. The work will take less than one year. An exact date for the closure is contingent on the manufacturing of steel for the new truss and approach spans. Weather at that time of year could also affect the exact closure date.

During the construction, three lanes of eastbound and three lanes of westbound I-70 will be using the eastbound bridge. The two directions of traffic will be separated by a concrete barrier wall in the middle of the eastbound bridge. Lanes will be reduced to 11 feet wide with no shoulders.

The speed limit on the bridge and through the work zone will be reduced to 45 mph.

"Knowing the contractor's schedule to start in late fall provides us all many months to prepare for these traffic impacts," said MoDOT St. Louis District Engineer Ed Hassinger. "The good news is three lanes of I-70 will be open during the construction so you will be able to get to work, home, shopping, and attractions in the area. However, we strongly encourage people to start thinking now how they are going to use other Missouri River bridge crossings during the peak morning and evening weekday rush hours."

The Route 370 and Route 364 (Page Avenue) Missouri River bridges are the primary alternate routes to use to avoid congestion on I-70 during the construction. Both bridges are located within a few miles of I-70 and provide an easy alternate to get to and from St. Charles and St. Louis counties as well as in and out of the major business and shopping districts in downtown St. Charles and Earth City.

"We have been working for over a year with the local business community and emergency responders to prepare for the upcoming closures and detours," Hassinger said. "Now that we have the tentative schedule dates, we can continue those efforts to ensure all preparations are ready to keep motorists safe and moving on the bridge and assist with all the ways to access the local businesses."

"We encourage major employers especially those with many employees who travel from St. Charles County to consider allowing flextime and alternate work hours and locations," Hassinger said. "This isn't a full closure like the I-64 project, but all the same preparations need to be made to ensure everyone has a plan for how they will cope with the extra congestion on I-70 during peak hours."

Construction work to prepare for the closure will begin in summer 2012. Lane closures will occur for this work primarily during off peak hours. Details will be announced on a week by week basis as the contractor's schedule progresses.

VIew of downtown St. Louis and the Gateway Arch from the east riverfront at the construction site of the towers being built for the Mississippi River Bridge project. Photo by Andrew Gates, MoDOT Customer Relations

New Mississippi River Bridge Towers Reach 200 Feet
ST. LOUIS, MO, (SLFP.com), January 11, 2012 - With about 10 truckloads of concrete Monday, the new Mississippi River Bridge towers have both reached 200 feet tall.

The two towers are now about half of their eventual height. The 400-foot towers are projected to be complete in late spring. Crews will then start placing the cables and the framework for the driving surface.

The entire Mississippi River Bridge project, including the relocated I-70, the Tri-Level Interchange in Illinois and the Missouri I-70 interchange is still on track to be open to traffic in early

The new Mississippi River Bridge is part of a group of roadway improvement projects that will connect I-70 to the I-55/64/70 interchange in East St. Louis and to I-70 near Cass Avenue in Missouri.

The entire project is projected to cost a total of $670 million and is being funded through a combination of federal and state funds. The New Mississippi River Bridge project is expected to be complete in 2014.

The main span of the bridge will be constructed by a contractor team made up of Massman Construction/Traylor Brothers/Alberici Constructors (MTA). Alberici Constructors is a St. Louis based firm, Massman Construction is from Kansas City and Traylor Brothers is from Evansville, Ind.

This new bridge will be a four-lane, cable-stayed structure across the Mississippi River from St. Clair County, Illinois to St. Louis, Missouri that will improve traffic safety and reduce congestion across the region by providing significant congestion relief for the Poplar Street Bridge, which now carries I-55, I-64, and I-70.

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.

Archived News:

I-55 Will Close This Weekend to Remove Holly Hills Bridge

Grand Bridge to Close from Chouteau Ave to I-64 for Two-Year Project

MoDOT Plans I-64 Double Deck Rehabilitation Project

St. Louis Unveils New Regional Signage to Help Tourists

Mississippi River Bridge Projected as Bridge to the Future of the Region

Broadway Bridge Over Interstate 70 Reopens

MoDOT Ramps Up Bridge Work Throughout Area

Removal of Madison Avenue Overpass Begins Process for Construction of New Mississippi River Bridge

Removal of Cass Avenue Overpass Begins Process for Construction of New Mississippi River Bridge

Missouri Highway Fatalities Lowest Since 1950

Can St. Louis Become the Bridge to Somewhere?

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