Attention drivers in Jefferson County: prepare for a significant traffic shift this weekend. According to MoDOT, US Route 67 will face closures due to the demolition of the southbound I-55 bridge that arches over it. The process is set to begin on Friday, March 7 and continue through the weekend until Monday, March 10.
Starting at 7 p.m. on Friday, lane closures on US 67 will lead to a full blockade by 9 p.m., destined to ease up the next morning. One lane in each direction is expected to operate from 6 a.m. Saturday. However, for the bridge demolition to continue, all lanes will be closed again at 9 p.m. Saturday and won't reopen until 6 a.m. Sunday with one operational lane each way. All lanes should be back in action by the dawn of Monday's commute.
With these closures, drivers will need to be vigilant of detour routes. Northbound US 67 travelers should take southbound I-55 to exit 170, then hop onto US 61 south and rejoin northbound I-55. Those heading south on US 67 will be rerouted via westbound Route A to I-55 exit 175 to reaccess the southbound highway. Additionally, those on northbound I-55 looking to go south on US 67 will find themselves detoured onto northbound US 67 at exit 174 and redirected via westbound Route A to I-55 exit 175, allowing them to continue south on I-55.
The necessity for these disruptions comes as a component of a larger endeavor—the Interstate 55 Corridor Improvements project, which encompasses 27 bridges in need of attention in Jefferson County. "Within the scope of this project, 14 bridges will be replaced, and eight bridges will be rehabilitated," states the MoDOT release. The plan includes the replacement of the superstructures of four bridges and the construction of a new Route CC over U.S. Route 67 bridge.
