Heads up, St. Louis drivers: if your weekend plans involve cruising on northbound Interstate 55, you'll need to reroute. The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) just announced they're shutting down a stretch of I-55 for some overnight construction hustle. Starting on Friday at 9 p.m., MoDOT's crews will be laying down new concrete for the fresh bridge surface that's set to span the Union Pacific Railroad between River Des Peres and Loughborough, as long as the weather doesn't throw a wrench in their works.
Prepare to hit the detour if you're heading out after dark. For navigating the closure, starting at the Carondelet/River City Boulevard exit, which is Exit 202A, detour traffic will have to hang a right, follow River City Boulevard, hang a left at Broadway and book it back to the interstate. According to an official statement by MoDOT, "Crews will close northbound I-55 at Carondelet/River City Boulevard (Exit 202A) Friday, April 4, starting at 9 p.m." So you're going to want to map out those alternate routes in advance, if night moves on northbound I-55 are in your stars.
This whole concrete gig is about upgrading our infrastructure, making sure our daily drives don't turn into an off-roading adventure by keeping our bridges solid and our roads smooth. As MoDOT's release spells it out, this is all part of the plan to make sure our commutes aren't just safe but keep flowing smooth as the jazz that hails from our city.
If you're out early on Saturday, you should be fine. MoDOT expects two northbound lanes to reopen by 9 a.m. Keep in mind that roadwork depends on the weather, so hopefully, conditions stay clear. If you're affected by the closure, the detour is your only route.
Stay tuned for any updates or changes to the plan by checking in with MoDOT or giving their social media a quick look-see.
