Drivers in Jefferson County should plan for a significant reroute if their weekend travel includes northbound Interstate 55, as the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) has announced a full closure of the stretch from US 67 to McNutt Street. This closure will take place starting tomorrow from 9:00 p.m. and will persist until 5:00 a.m. on Saturday to facilitate a major traffic shift onto a new bypass.
The changeover will see one lane of northbound I-55 reopening at 5:00 a.m. on Saturday and a full two-lane operation by 7:00 a.m. Sunday, September 28, according to MoDOT. During the course of this transition, ramps from Route A and US 61/67, as well as the exit ramp to Route A, will remain closed from the commencement of the operation on Friday night, until the conclusion, at 7:00 a.m., Sunday.
To mitigate the impact on traffic, MoDOT has laid out a detour which directs northbound I-55 travelers to exit at the I-55/US 67 interchange, then use Route 61/67 to bypass the shutdown and rejoin northbound I-55 at the I-55/McNutt St. interchange. For those originating from Route A and US 67, a detour will funnel them to the same US 61/67 bypass.
The purpose behind this significant maneuver is to demolish the current northbound I-55 pavement, alongside the bridges that span US 67, 3rd Street, and Central Avenue. This intensive construction activity scheduled for October is a necessary step to make way for the next stage of infrastructure upgrades.
