Heads up, Springfield motorists: If your commute involves Roosevelt Avenue or Elizabeth Avenue, you're going to need to sketch a detour into your travel plan for next week. According to a traffic alert courtesy of MoDOT, these routes will be off limits starting February 24, and won't reopen until the end of the week on February 28. The closure is due to reconstruction and paving work on the approaches to Kearney Street, which fortunately for drivers, will remain open.
Getting around these closures won't be a total shot in the dark, as MoDOT is installing electronic message boards nearby to keep travelers informed on the schedule – which could shift if the weather throws in a wrench, or if there are construction delays. Capital Paving & Construction, out of Columbia, is the one behind the tools for this project, which bagged them a cool $14.9 million deal – not too shabby for some roadwork, right?
Let it be known though, that while Roosevelt Avenue and Elizabeth Avenue take a brief nap, crews and equipment will be in close proximity to traffic in the areas, so increased caution is recommended. For those who are glued to their tech, MoDOT encourages checking their Traveler Information Map before hitting the road, to prevent any nasty surprises.
All of this fuss is part of a much larger scheme – the Missouri Route 744 and Kearney Street Corridor Upgrades in Greene, which has been penciled in to be wrapped up by December 31.
