Drivers who frequent Interstate 44 through Pulaski County should be ready for a bit of slowdown starting next week. According to the Missouri Department of Transportation, contractors are all set to plow into the earth for boring operations between mile markers 157 and 158.4 starting this Monday, Dec. 16. It'll be a series of nightly inconveniences—single-lane closures from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.—meant to keep the rest of your daily hustle largely uninterrupted.
MoDOT has laid out the schedule, beginning with the eastbound passing lane on Monday evening, crossing over to the westbound passing lane on Tuesday, and then, putting the eastbound driving lane to rest on Wednesday. But remember, folks, this plan is held hostage by the whims of the weather, and so, the schedule may slide around as Mother Nature dictates.
Now, here's the skinny: MoDOT pleads with motorists "to work with us by buckling up, putting your phone down, obeying all traffic signs, and slowing down and moving over in work zones." If only such common sense were always common practice, perhaps it wouldn't need repeating. Nevertheless, diligence is doubly important when threading through the gauntlet of cones and flashing lights that mark these temporary battlegrounds of progress.
If you're the type to keep a sharp eye out for real-time updates or need an occasional nudge about transportation matters, you might want to lock into their hotline at 1-888-ASK-MoDOT (275-6636) or check out their Traveler Information Map. In an age where social media often delivers the news as it happens, following MoDOT Central Missouri District wouldn't be too shabby an idea for keeping the pulse on these periodic roadway rumbles.
