Mississippi River Bridge Construction to Close I-70 Lanes Overnight Friday

Drivers heading downtown on Interstate 70 this weekend may want to consider alternate routes as the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) will close various lanes on the interstate this weekend.

Crews will place girders over the interstate as part of work to connect the future new Mississippi River Bridge to Cass Avenue. The following lanes and ramps will be closed:

• Express lanes: Crews will close the express lanes at 9 a.m. Friday. This will impact Friday evening’s rush period through downtown. The express lanes will reopen by noon Sunday.
• Biddle Street ramp: Crews will close the Biddle Street ramp at 7 p.m. Friday. To detour around the closure, drivers can continue on Broadway to N. Market Street and use N. Market to access Interstate 70. The Biddle Street ramp reopens by 10 a.m. Saturday.
• I-70 through lanes: Crews will close up to two lanes on I-70 in both directions, starting at 7 p.m. Friday. All I-70 lanes may be closed for up to 15 minutes at a time as crews swing girders over the interstate. All I-70 lanes, except the express lanes, will reopen by 10 a.m. Saturday.

Friday evening rush period drivers heading into the city may want to consider other routes due to potential congestion on eastbound I-70. Overnight Friday, drivers should allow themselves extra time to get to their destinations, or take alternate routes.  

Motorists should be aware of the following on-going closures:

• I-70, (westbound section of the Interstate 70 Blanchette bridge over the Missouri River) will remain closed until fall 2013. The eastbound I-70 bridge has three lanes of traffic in each direction. The ramp from northbound 5th Street to eastbound I-70 is closed until fall 2013.
• I-70, St. Louis City, the exit ramp from westbound I-70 to Madison will remain closed until late January, due to needed utility work.
• Wellington, St. Louis City, the Wellington bridge closed over the River Des Peres until April 2013. Detour to Jamieson Avenue bridge.
• I-55, Jefferson County, the ramp from northbound I-55 to Route M is closed until spring 2013.